


You are worth being loved

by Maxrimus



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Disaster Luz Noceda, F/F, Fluff, Gay Disaster Amity Blight, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Blood, Mutual Pining, NOTHING BAD HAPPENED AFTER WILW, Nightmares, POV Luz Noceda, Pining, Post-WILW, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 73,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26596918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maxrimus/pseuds/Maxrimus
Summary: Luz Noceda has always had issues believing she could ever be truly loved, especially by someone as wonderful as Amity Blight. One Saturday alone with Amity starts to change her mind, that maybe it's not about what she does for people, but who she is.
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Comments: 258
Kudos: 837
Collections: New





	1. Maelstrom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz and Amity spend a wonderful day together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This is my first fic, ever actually. I’ve tried to do some writing in the past but nothing ever spoke to me like this show did. So, please keep that in mind as you read, constructive criticism always welcome, and thanks to anyone that takes the time to read this whole thing!
> 
> Also just some notes before we start:  
> 1\. This is a story based on my interpretation of Luz. I see a lot of myself in Luz. Someone that spent a lot of their childhood alone, someone that didn’t think they were meant to have friends. Someone that believed they had to prove to other people why they were worthy of being friends. Someone that still to this day is incredibly paranoid of their friends leaving them at the slightest misstep. This may be taking Luz’s characterization a bit far, but it’s the thing I saw when everybody else saw Oblivious Luz. I didn’t see Oblivious, I saw someone that was hurting and that didn’t believe they truly deserved love or companionship. But she does, and so does everyone. Everyone is deserving of love, never forget that.  
> 2\. I’m a white guy that took 2 years of high school spanish a decade ago. Most of the spanish in here is google translated or provided by my friend who has some more knowledge than I do. Also ¡Qué vaina! came from a google search so my apologies if I misunderstood its use. If anyone notices something off PLEASE tell me so I can get the translation correct. Thanks for being patient with me <3  
> 3\. Translations in the post notes!  
> 4\. A minor formatting edit to fix my scene breaks

_A flash of gold, the wind in my hair, the growls of a large monster, the sudden creaking of wood._

In a second, the world came into focus, and I saw Her. And I remembered. The Grom dance. But it was different, more intimate. The tree— _our_ tree—stood tall and proud and Amity stood before me, cheeks red from the dance. Or was it the dance? Looking closer, looking deep into those golden pools that took up so much of my thoughts I thought I saw it. The look I’ve been wanting to see for weeks now. I tentatively lean forward, and she does too, our foreheads just touching. I can feel her breath as she whispers. 

_“Luz. I need to tell you. The person I wanted to ask to Grom was…”_

And then it was gone. I was startled awake as I heard Eda yelling for me to get up. I groaned, slapping my hands on my face. It’s Saturday, a week after Grom, and every night since I’d been having the same dream. The same dream of Amity, of our dance, but it was always interrupted before Amity could tell me who she wanted to take to Grom. Not that it even mattered, it was a dream, it wasn’t real. Even if dream Amity said she wanted to go with me that would never change the reality. Amity wanted to go with someone else. She sees me as a friend, because how could someone as amazing as Amity Blight ever have feelings for the weird human that wouldn’t leave her alone?

I sigh again, dragging myself out of bed as I heard Eda calling for me again. “I’ll be right there Eda! I just need to change” I yell down, starting to put on my usual cat hoodie and jorts. (Who doesn’t love a good jort?) I grab my bag, making sure I had a good amount of runes and my pad with me, then head downstairs.

As I step into the living room I see Eda gather up what she needed for the trip to the market, and King is laying in his favorite mid-morning nap spot. _Which also happened to be his favorite late-morning spot, and early afternoon spot..._ I know we are going to the market today but Eda didn’t really tell me what we are going for. “Eda-a-a-a” I stretch out her name, catching her attention. “Why won’t you tell me what we’re getting today!”

Eda flashes me a grin before ruffling my hair “I did tell ya kid, we’re just going out for some quick errands.”

“But Eda-a-a-a-a-a-a” Once again stretching her name even longer than before, giving her my best puppy dog eyes. “You usually go shopping without me, why are you dragging me along so early? I was supposed to hang out with Willow and Gus today, we were going to try and find new glyphs.”

“Hey. You know I taught you those eyes and you know just as well that they don’t work on me,” she says in a jokingly stern voice, before cracking a small smile. “But trust me kiddo, you’re gonna want to come with me today. I promise it’ll be worth it.”

My mind races at the possible implications to that sentence, before just plastering a smile on my face. “Alright Eda. But I’m only carrying so many bags; you know I have weak nerd arms!” She shakes her head, ruffling my hair one more time and we head out, jumping on Owlbert to head towards the market.

***

Despite not initially wanting to come, I start getting giddy as we approach the market. It is always such a fun place to browse. New stalls every day, with new interesting artifacts coming in from all over the Boiling Isles. My eyes pass over potions and scrolls, staves and swords, hides and ingredients. There is so much to see and I try to take it all in as Eda whisks me through the market, intent on her own errands.

We stop at a few stalls, Eda picking up her Elixir and some ingredients for potions and whatever new culinary disaster she was going to try this week. She browses through a few stands just for anything that might catch her eye. I end up carrying most of the bags, so by the time we get to our last stop I was just concentrating on not dropping anything.

“Hey Kid, stop looking like you’re gonna pass out and look around.” I heard Eda say and then the bags around my arm glow, lifting off and floating over to Eda.

“You could have done that the whole time!” I pout as Eda cackles.

“Yeah, but we have to work on those weak nerd arms somehow don’t we?” She cackles again before gesturing to the stall behind her. I look over, my eyes suddenly going wide when I finally realize where we were. A scroll store. My eyes turn to Eda tentatively, not daring to actually hope yet. She gives me an affirming nod and I let out a squeal, rushing forward and hugging Eda around the waist. “Alright Kid—I know you’re happy but not in public.” She jokes, smiling down at me as I pull back. 

“Now you have a budget of 200 snails. It’s not gonna get you anything super fancy like your Blight friend has but it should get you something usable.” I nod, my eyes still shining and darting all around me as we walk into the tent. Looking around it was actually weirdly reminiscent of an Apple store, all white surfaces and no check-out station. Although I did notice the display stations breathing. _There’s the typical Boiling Isles charm._

I look around at the models on display, reading about all the different scrolls. There are a lot of cool features outside of what I was used to on phones. There is one that could apply filters to real life, there is one that touted “Feces Recognition”, there is one that is just 12 feet long. A lot of the extra features are out of my price range but thankfully all I really want is basic stuff—messaging and calls and such. I linger for a moment on one that had an included stylus and supposedly expands to become a drawing tablet, but it is just out of my price range. I end up finding a cheap model that will allow me to finally stay in contact with my friends here and as I am turning to tell Eda about it I see three green-haired witches enter the tent. 

“Amity!” I yell. She looked around in shock before seeing me and started to smile before I pull her into a hug. I pull back and see that she’s blushing, my hands quickly leaving her shoulders. _Right. She doesn’t usually like being touched so much. Especially with the twins around._

“H-hey Luz…” She starts to stammer out before the twins each put an elbow on top of her head, matching mischievous grins adorning their faces. As expected Amity goes from a light pink blush to full on rage red.

“Well well well Mittens; look who’s here” Edric coos, a look in his eyes as if he’s not actually surprised to see me here.

“How’re you doin’, cutie?” Emira asks, winking at me.

I blush slightly. Crush on Amity or no, Emira was always so smooth, and the nickname didn’t help much. Before I could say anything Amity swats the twins elbows off of her and runs her hands through her hair, straightening it out before smiling at me. “Hi Luz.” Then as if remembering where they are her eyes seem to get a look of reserved excitement in them. “So, what are you doing here anyway?”

A huge smile breaks onto my face as I also remember. “Oh right! Amity! Eda’s finally getting me my own scroll!” I do a little twirl, and Amity giggles.

“Luz that’s great! We’ll finally be able to keep in touch!” Her smile grows as we chat.

“Yea! I’m so excited! Wait, what are you doing here?”

Emira speaks up before Amity can answer. “That’s our fault. We scared Mittens while she was on Pensta and she threw her scroll halfway across her room in fear.”

Both the twins look sheepish at the admission before Edric speaks. “So we’re here to get her a new one. As an apology.”

I put my hands to my face. It is just so adorable how the twins really care about Amity, even though they tease her so much. I saw Amity blush slightly, but smile through it. “Well Amity, let’s go look for a great scroll we can spend all your parents money on!”

Just as I am about to turn around a bag drops onto one of my outstretched hands. I look up and see Eda smiling fondly at me. “All yours, kiddo.” I look in the bag, seeing the drawing scroll I’d been looking at earlier. I look up at her, about to object, but she shakes her head, ruffling my hair. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll just make sure you do some extra chores next weekend.” She winks and snorts, before letting Amity and I go look around the tent.

After Amity gets her new scroll—top of the line of course—we go outside. I am distracted talking to Amity and figuring out how scrolls worked but I thought I noticed Eda and the twins whispering conspiratorially for a half second before I looked back and they were just talking casually. I shrug, walking up with Amity. She goes over to her siblings, giving them a quick hug, which they proceed to tease her about. She just rolls her eyes, smiling warmly at them.

She turns back to me after a moment. “Well we do have some other errands to run, so I guess I’ll text you?”  
  


I was shaking my head enthusiastically, about to agree when Edric speaks up. “No, no, no, Mittens: why don’t you go hang out with Luz for the day. You’ve been doing so much work lately, you deserve a day off!”

Emira quickly adds “Assuming the Owl Lady doesn’t need her for anything else?” exchanging a knowing glance with Eda. I’m not one hundred percent sure what is happening but I know something is up.

Eda just nods. “Yea that sounds good with me. We’re done with our errands for the day and I can get these back to the Owl House by myself.” She turns to me. “And here kid, a bit of spending around money” She tosses me a surprisingly heavy pouch. I look into it, seeing about a hundred snails. I look up about to object again before she shakes her head, winking. “Just make sure you make it worth while ok?” I blush slightly at what I think she’s implying, then smile over in Amity’s direction.

I make a goofy bow, putting on a mediocre British accent. “Shall we away to the stands?” I look up to see her laughing quietly before responding, eyes locking with mine.

She attempts to imitate my already poor accent, the effect sending my heart racing. “Lead the way, my fearless champion.”

***

I walk off with Amity, excited about the day ahead, a day with just the two of us, a day where anything could happen. “So!” I look at Amity, a grin instantly splitting my face. “Where would you like to go first? Do you have a favorite booth to visit? Looking for anything particularly interesting? Or particularly dangerous?” I wiggle my eyebrows as I ask the last question and Amity laughs, a sound I could never get tired of.

“I didn’t have any particular plans, I was supposed to be doing errands, so I’m happy to just spend the day with you.” She smiles, a light dusting of pink across her cheeks. _I hope she’s not embarrassed about being unprepared, I’m never prepared for anything and I do just fine!_

“Well how about we try on some clothes? I’ve been meaning to get some new Boiling Isles attire, and I figure my little allowance means it’s the perfect time to get a new wardrobe!” 

Amity smiles at me, nodding once. “That sounds like a great idea. I could use some new dresses as well.” She seems to be about to say something, then thinks better about it for a moment. “I guess you don’t usually shop for clothes, and I usually shop at the more” She pauses, a look of guilt in her eyes “expensive boutiques. Do you have any ideas of where we could go?”

I shake my head. “Nope!” I pop the p before looping my arm through Amity’s. “Let’s go find something!” I say a little too loudly, dragging her into the market. She laughs softly, and when I look over she’s blushing. _Right, no touching_ . I start to pull my arm from her, but Amity tightens her grip, the blush deepening a little more as she refuses to look at me. _Huh. Guess she’s just a little warm._ I mentally shrug as we continue on.

Eventually we find a stall that is within my price range and we go in, looking around at the bizarre and curiously shaped clothes within. We go around the store, Amity picking out a few select dresses to try on while I grab what had to be 8000 items of clothing to try on. Amity teases me about how much clothing I’m taking but I just scoff “You never know what goes well together. That’s why we’re going to need a dressing room montage!” She laughs but follows me, and we have the best dressing room montage of my life. It was also the only dressing room montage of my life, but that’s not important right now.

I try on all kinds of different outfits; capelets, dresses, skirts, suits, t-shirts, and even a hat that tries to eat me before Amity was able to pull it off. I mix and match a ton before finally settling on a couple of outfits. Amity takes tons of pictures and sends them to my new scroll. _I’m so excited to finally have a scroll!_ I post them to Penstagram right away, with all the goofy poses and finger guns I could fit in.

After I finish Amity goes to try on her dresses. As usual she looks gorgeous in anything, but one dress in particular is breathtaking. She steps out of the dressing room, fidgeting slightly with the sleeves, before looking up to ask my opinion. My brain stops working, seeing Amity in a dress that faded from almost the green of her hair at the top to a gorgeous amber brown at the bottom, almost like the roots of her hair. The dress is just so Amity, and in that moment I wish more than anything to kiss her. “Estás tan linda en ese vestido,” I whisper under my breath before yelping slightly, a blush covering my face in seconds.

Amity tilts her head, brow furrowing. “What was that? I didn’t catch it.”

I swallow, trying to kick the gears of my mind back into place. “I was just saying the dress looks great on you. Very Amity, I love you.” I paus for a second, my eyes going wide as I realize what I said. “In the dress I mean! I love you in the dress, it looks really good is all that I mean!” I stammer out, trying to cover myself, before noticing Amity smiling softly, a blush covering her face as well. _¡Qué vaina Noceda! Now you’ve made her feel uncomfortable, good going._

She nods her head once. “Well, I’m getting it then. This is the last one, so I’ll pay for them and meet you outside ok?” She smiles at me softly again, sending my heart into overdrive. All I can do is nod, and use that as an excuse to leave. I take deep breaths as Amity pays for her clothes, finally fully calming down by the time she comes out. There is still a hint of pink on her cheeks, and I am about to suggest maybe we part for the day as I’d clearly embarrassed myself. Before I can she speaks up. “Would you want to get lunch somewhere?”

I try to not visibly relax, but a smile instantly springs back to my face. “That sounds great! We came here for me, why don’t you pick the spot?” I say instantly, trying not to think about how many snails I just spent on clothes.

Amity thinks it over for a minute, eyes seemingly roving over the market before a small smile creeps onto her face and lights her eyes up. “I know just the place, come on.” She makes a “let’s go” sign with her head and starts leading the way.

After walking for about 15 minutes we come across a tiny hole-in-the-wall bistro. Or I guess I should say hole-in-the-floor because the entrance is literally just a hole in the ground. Amity leads me down, and asks for a table for two. Looking around I am surprised at how homey it is. It iss a nice little quiet place, lit just by candles along the walls and floating over the tables. Some quiet music seemed to be playing over the room from seemingly nowhere. I am surprised— this seems much more quaint than I expected from Amity.

As we sit at a table I notice she is blushing again. _This must be a place that she usually comes to alone. I hope I’m not intruding._ She starts speaking before I can speak my fears. “This is a place I usually only come by myself or with the twins. It’s so small and really not fitting in with the usual…” she pauses, a sour look in her eyes “reputation—” she spits the word as if it’s poisonous “—of the Blights. But.” Her eyes soften as she looks around. “It’s just so quiet and the food is so good and it’s one of the few places in the Isles I feel…” She pauses again, looking almost wistful. “Safe” She whispers, almost reverently.

As she talks I slowly lean forward, resting my chin on my palms, my eyes going wide as she talks. Watching her describe this place is so much different than the usual Amity. It’s the Amity I saw during our Grom dance, the Amity that discusses fan theories with me, the Amity that I had first truly fallen for. Amity looks back to what must be the dorkiest grin on my face and she instantly erupts into a blush. _Stop being so weird!_

I quickly sit up, laughing and trying to defuse the situation. Thankfully a waiter arrives and gives us menus. We order food, Amity ordering her favorite while I try to order anything that I think could be edible. I get a soup of some kind and it is actually surprisingly delicious, despite the multiple tentacles I can see. We are pretty quiet as we eat, occasionally discussing Azura or checking our Penstas. Eventually we finish and get the bill. Before Amity can even look at it I grab it and smile. “My treat.” She is about to object before I walk off up to the counter, paying with my rapidly dwindling snails. 

Amity follows, blushing slightly but with a thankful smile on her face. “Thank you Luz, that’s very sweet.” _¡Qué vaina! She must be embarrassed that I had to pay for her. Well, nothing I can do about it now._ We thank the host before leaving.

“Ok! I have one last place I want to go before we leave. It’s one of my favorite places in the market— I really think you’ll like it.” I grab her hand, pulling her along to a stall I frequent that is always selling some new and interesting artifacts from around the Isles. We arrive at the stand: a large auburn tent with signs covered in skulls and warnings, smoke pouring out of the opening. I look over and Amity is practically crimson and I let go, mentally kicking myself. _Right. Not a huge fan of physical contact. Keep forgetting._ After a moment Amity seems to collect herself and looks at the stall, one brow raised in a question.

I clear my throat before doing a dramatic spin and introducing the stall “Welcome to Gramg’s Great General Gemporium! It’s like an Emporium, but with a G for Great!” I throw a little bit of confetti as I finish, Amity letting out a short giggle that lights up her whole face, making my heart swell.

“And what kind of stuff does Gramg sell exactly?” She asks, trying to peek inside the tent.

“Nobody knows! Their stock changes constantly, items seemingly shifting in and out as you look at them. There could be anything in this tent, and if you see something you want, you better grab it before it skitters away!” I emphasize my last point with my hands, making little skittering motions.

She nods her head, looking intrigued. “Now _that_ sounds like a Luz Noceda type of stall.” She says, the way she tries to say my name with a Spanish accent making my knees go weak. I slap my cheeks softly a few times before continuing.

“It is! I usually just browse, I usually don’t exactly have a lot of extra snails to go around but it looks like I have…” I quickly pull out the bag of snails, counting the coins inside “30 snails!” I look back up at Amity. “What say we make this a contest?” A smirk comes onto Amity’s face and an eyebrow raises as I mention a contest. “30 snails each, 5 minutes. Whoever comes out with the most interesting object wins.”

Amity considers for a moment, both of us knowing she was already going to agree. She puts on a determined face, the same face she put on when we played Grugby, and sticks out her hand. “You’re on Noceda.” We shake on it, then both sprint inside.

The tent, as usual, is huge. Not huge like the outside makes it seem, but literally impossibly massive. Gramg must have some sort of extension magic on it, because this place looks like a multi-floor shopping center, items crowding every surface. Shelves, tables, display cases, racks, every type of storage you can imagine stuffed haphazardly into the space as if at random. We both break off in separate directions, sprinting down crooked aisles, trying to find something fascinating to outshine the other. 

Five minutes were counting down and the best thing I was able to find was a rainbow mushroom which honestly isn’t even that outlandish for the Boiling Isles. In a last ditch effort I stand in the middle of a bunch of shelves, close my eyes, and spin around. Opening my eyes I instantly see it, the perfect thing. I throw the mushroom over my shoulder and pick up the small item, running up to the front to pay for it. I leave the tent and see Amity already standing outside. I chuckle as I see her which makes her turn around, a light blush creeping onto her face. _Probably just surprised her._ “What are you laughing at?”

“Just that you were out first, of course” I tease, holding my item behind my back and trying to see what she’d picked up. “So? What did you find?”

She fidgets nervously, the blush deepening slightly. _Did she not get something? Is she embarrassed by what she found?_ “You should go first.” She finally says, looking up at me.

“Alright well I know I said to find the most interesting object but I saw this and I just had to get it, even if it’s not the most interesting or unique. I saw and I just thought, I needed you to have it.” A blush creep onto my face as I look down, my voice growing softer during the last part. I pull my hand out, producing a small glass figurine, what looks like a plant abomination, a vibrant green on the top half, fading into brown roots below. I hear a little gasp from Amity and look up to see her eyes shining. 

She reaches out hesitantly, looking up at me.”Is this really for me?” She seems to be in disbelief that I would buy her a gift, despite having already paid for her lunch today.

“Of course it is! It just reminded me of you so much, I knew I had to get it for you.” As I say this her cheeks go from pink to red and I try backpedaling. _No no no! She hates it, she doesn’t want some stupid little trinket, she’s rich, she’s a Blight!_ “Amity I’m sorry if it’s not ok, I just really thought you might like it and…” I’m cut off as Amity throws her arms around me, confusing me to no end. I almost lose hold of the figurine as I feel a heavy weight smack me in the back as Amity hugs me, but I am able to hold on and return the hug.

“You idiot, I love it: it’s a gift from you. I’d love any gift you gave me, especially one so thoughtful.” She says, almost too quiet for me to hear. She seems to realize I heard her though and jumps back, pink in the face again. _Even when she initiates it she’s still not a huge fan of physical contact. Wait— did she say she’d love any gift I gave her? I mean I guess a gift from a friend is better than a gift from an acquaintance..._

I shake my head, looking at her, a small smile on my face. “So you like it then?” I ask. She takes the figurine delicately from my hand, drawing a small spell circle which seemed to encase it in a force field, before placing it in her bag.

She nods at me. “I do like it. It was very thoughtful of you, and I’m happy to have something so kind from such a good friend. Oh!” She says, seeming to remember her own item, a warm smile finding its way onto her face. “Speaking of thoughtful, I too happened to find something I thought you might be interested in.” She produces a small leather journal from her back, a light glyph clear on the front of it.

My eyes widen in disbelief. “Is that... What I think it is?” Amity grins, quickly flipping through the book. Dozens of glyphs flash past my eyes, and I get even more excited. I start to do a little happy dance, almost ready to burst. “Amity-y-y-y-y!” I say, drawing her name out in excitement. “That is so incredibly cool! And only for thirty snails?” As I say that her smile cracks just a little.

“Well, not exactly 30 snails. It may have been a little more.” A blush creeps onto her face again.

I wave a hand. “Well it wasn’t like I followed the rules of the contest either. It can’t have been that much more right?” I say, noticing the blush creeping a little further onto her cheeks. She mumbles something I can’t quite hear. “What was that?”

“It was 500 snails, okay!” She says, the blush coming out in full force. _Right. She’s always embarrassed by her family and how wealthy they are. It makes her feel like people think she looks down on them._

I clear my throat. “Well what’s a few hundred snails to a Blight, right? Now you have a cool new book to learn from! You can use that knowledge to become the greatest witch on the Boiling Isles!” I strike a dramatic pose, like Azura would. The blush stays on Amity’s cheeks, but she does let out a little giggle.

“You know I’ve never been particularly good with glyphs. I was hoping you might want to try some out with me? We could go out into the woods so we don’t hurt anyone, and just see what all these do?” She smiles softly, hope in her eyes.

My face instantly lights up, my excitement coming right back. “That sounds like a great idea! Let’s go!” And without thinking I once again grab her hand, dragging her out of the market and into the nearby forest.

***

We crash through the forest for a couple minutes, I blush slightly thinking about how long I’ve been holding Amity’s hand. _I hope it’s not too weird_. Eventually we find a clearing, obscured by vines with some logs and stones scattered around it, a perfect place to try out untested magics. I finally let go of Amity’s hand, turning to her excitedly. I notice a blush and a second of disappointment which is quickly wiped away when she returns to a small smile. _Ok it was weird._ _I really need to get a grip on my touch-y feel-y issues. Amity deserves a better friend._

“So?” She speaks up, looking at me expectantly. “Are we gonna do this or what?” My face instantly starts burning up before remembering she meant the book. I stammer out an affirmative, plopping down on the ground, opening the book on the rock and looking intently at it to hide my blush.

The first few pages seem to be some general information about glyphs and their origins, how witches first figured out magic from the island, similar to how I found most of my glyphs by observing nature around me. After the intro chapter it launches right into pages of diagrams. Amity points at one of the first ones, both of us recognizing it immediately. “That’s your light glyph!”

I nod excitedly, noticing the other glyphs on the same page, muttering slightly under my breath. “These all look similar. Same basic structure but slight discrepancies. I wonder.” I pull out my notepad and pencil and start drawing some of the other glyphs. My face screws up in concentration, making sure I get my lines right. I quickly look up at Amity, excitement in my eyes. I notice her staring at me in what looked like… I thought awe, but that can’t be right. Not at me at least. Maybe my drawing skills. _I am pretty handy with this pencil._ I shake my head out of my thoughts. “So what do you think these do? They all seem similar so they’ve got to be light adjacent glyphs right?”

Amity had looked away with a light blush on her cheeks when I had looked up. _Is it a little hot out? I suppose it is kind of stuffy under this tree cover._ She looks back over at me as I finish my question and she nods thoughtfully for a moment before speaking. “Well looking at them all, there are only minor variations. Most of the structure is the same, except for those two lines in the certain of the glyphs.” She points at the offending lines. “So it must have something to do with the nature of the spell. One up and to the right, the normal rune, one down and to the right, one straight across, and one without the lines at all.” She thinks for a second, before shrugging. “Of course we don’t really know enough about the nature of glyphs to know exactly what that means, so really we should just try them out right?” She smiles at me as she finishes speaking.

I nod, having come to similar conclusions. I had drawn the glyph with downward facing lines and as we both look at it expectantly I quickly bap it. Instead of it crumpling up with the usual telltale light effects, a darkness seems to engulf the page, then expand as it rises, engulfing both Amity and I. I hear her yelp before I reach out. I am able to somehow see the orb of darkness within the darkness, and I clap it out. I look over at Amity, my eyes wide with excitement. For a second after the spell ends she just blinks around at the sudden light. “Well. That was unexpected from such a simple change.”

We both laugh before quickly diving back in, trying spell after spell. We find a lot of interesting elemental spells, lightning and stones and wind and water. We find some small illusion spells and I am able to make my ears look all witchy, a trick I would have to keep in mind for later. We find glyphs that summoned abominations, although they look much more natural than Amity’s purple ones.

We even find some healing glyphs, although we aren’t sure exactly what they do at first. We tap it and notice it glows a soft soothing blue. Nothing happens but I have an idea. I look around, scrounging up a sharp stone and before Amity knows what was happened I stab my palm. “Luz!” She yelps in surprise before I draw another glyph and bap it against the wound, instantly healing it. Amity looks relieved but she still punches me. “You idiot! You scared me. Don’t just go around stabbing yourself with rocks, that’s dangerous.” We both giggle softly before going back to the book.

Eventually we find our way to the back of the book and a single huge glyph. It isn’t labeled but I recognize parts of it. It looks to be a combination of a number of elemental glyphs and some abomination glyphs possibly? It is an incredibly complex glyph and we both admire it for a second before checking the last few pages for any more information. After finding nothing we both shrug. I look at the glyph, then at Amity, a mischievous smile on my face that probably looks a little too much like the twins. “You wanna try it?”

Amity looks worried, a slight frown on her face. I almost backpedal, not wanting to worry her. Before I can she steals her resolve and nods. “I mean we’ll never know what it is unless we try it, right?” I beam at her, starting to draw.

***

It takes some time, it really is a complex glyph, and I screw it up a few times. As I finish I look up at Amity, excitement shining in my eyes. “Are you ready?” I ask, noting the slight worry in her eyes.

She shuffles nervously, looking again at the book and the mysterious nature of the glyph “Are we sure about this? This could be anything, a curse, a monster, an irreversible transformation…”

“But it could also be cake! We never know unless we try!” A smile lights up my face, trying my best to reassure her. Without thinking I reach out, grabbing one of her hands, speaking a little softer. “And besides, whatever it is, we can take it together.” Amity noticeably blushes as I take her hand and I forgot, again, that she doesn’t like people touching her. I pull away, looking down at the glyph for a second. I hear her take a deep breath and look up, seeing her eyes harden in determination.

“Okay. Let’s do this.” She draws a quick circle, summoning an abomination just in case. As soon as the abomination rises I slap my hand on the paper, stepping back to see what comes.

It starts as a crackle, electricity sparking from the sheet. Then wind, sparks of flame, something big swirling out from the paper. As we watch the sky above us clouds over and it gets darker, colder. My heart drops as I look at Amity, the fear in her eyes returning. Before either of us can try to stop it, there is an explosion of light and sound and we are each thrown back a couple of feet. Dazed slightly, I hear a sound like laughter, the winds whipping through the clearing tearing at me. As I see Amity across the clearing stand up, reforming her abomination, I hear a crack, a branch above me giving way. I just manage to jump out of the way before seeing the burnt end of the branch. The demon before us starts advancing on me, and I look at Amity. We nod in understanding before setting into motion.

It’s like Grom all over again. The two of us, even if we aren’t dancing together, are in perfect synch. Darting around this creature, dodging attacks and drawing its attention between us. I fire off blasts of lightning, gouts of flame, long vines, everything I can think of to try and stop this thing but it only seems to make it more powerful. Amity controls her abominations, multiple of them now, repeatedly throwing them at the creature to try and slow it down. Slowly we make our way to each other, standing side by side, holding the demon back.

Breathing hard from exertion, dodging another blast of fire from the creature, I shout to Amity “We need to do something! Distract it, go on the offensive.”

Amity grits her teeth, pulling a wall of abomination goo in front of her to catch a spray of large stones thrown towards her. “Any ideas? You’re the quick thinker here.”

I nod, I’d been formulating a plan while we’d been trying to get near to each other. “It’s more drawn to me. I don’t know if it’s because I cast it, or if it’s because I’m using more elemental magic. Whatever it is I think I can draw it away, and then you can get in close and destroy the glyph.”

Amity’s eyes lock onto mine for half a second, worry etched onto her face before looking back, hurling another abomination at the demon to stop its next attack. “But what if you get hurt?” I’m barely able to hear above the typhoon around us.

I give her my cockiest grin, fanning my glyphs out like I did during our dance. “With you here? I’d never be able to live with myself if I worried you like that.” I give her a wink, raising a wall of stone to block an incoming fireball, then shout “NOW!” I start running in a wide arc around the creature. It looks like Amity is stunned for a second, but the shock of my warcry shakes her out of it and she continues defending, waiting for a good shot at the glyph.

I dodge and weave and defend, shooting off spell after spell, feeding the creature’s seeming want for elemental magics. I pull it towards me, and when seemingly all of its attention has been turned towards me I see Amity dash out from behind an abomination, and tear the glowing page in half. The demon starts to howl, and I start jumping up and down in victory. I think I hear someone call my name as I spin in a circle, and as I turn I see the creature draw it’s rage into a final blow that I am too distracted to dodge. I feel a wall of wind hit me like a truck, and then all is black.

***

I feel sore, the back of my head is pounding, and I feel… wet? Is it raining? As I slowly come out of whatever fog I was in I hear sobs, and feel arms tight around me. I slowly blink my eyes open, the light blinding me for a moment, before I notice it’s Amity that is holding me so tightly. I blush for a second before speaking, my voice raspy. “H-hey there Blight.” I cough slightly, my mouth dry. “You going soft on me?”

I hear a gasp before Amity pulls back, hands on my shoulders. There are tears streaming down her face but as she sees me awake her smile splits her face, dazzling me once again. I reach up to wipe some of the tears from her face, and she leans into my hand, a look of relief replacing the concern from moments ago. She quietly mumbles something that even at this close distance I can’t make out, and her eyes fly open, blush covering her face. “I’m going to go get some healing glyphs!” She says quickly, turning, the safety I felt from her being so close leaving as fast as she did.

I sigh, my hands returning to my side. I try to get up, but something in my back twinges, and the sudden movement drives a spike into my skull. I suck in air through my gritted teeth. “Right. Okay. Not getting up anytime soon.” While I wait for Amity to get back I think through what must have happened. I remember getting knocked backwards with a blast of wind. Amity must have seen me get thrown and came to see if I was ok. She had cried, like she would for any friend that was hurt this badly, right? And she was hugging me, just like Amity Blight would hug any of her friends. Right, definitely. And she leaned into my hand like normal friends do. Because she just saw me as a friend. Definitely. Right?

As I’m examining my conflicted feelings I hear footsteps and look up to see Amity rushing back to me, book and notepad in hand. She rushes over, kneeling next to me, and starts drawing the healing glyphs we’d discovered earlier. The blush from earlier was gone but she still isn’t looking at me, concentrating on getting the glyphs right. Her face screws up in concentration, the sunlight through the trees highlighting her golden eyes, I let out a small sigh, smiling. “Hermosa” I whisper, slapping a hand to my mouth and my eyes going wide as she looks up at me.

“What did you say?” She asks, hand about to rip off the first healing glyph.

“Oh nothing, nothing at all, just commenting on your glyph work, it’s really good, your hands, er, lines, are so smooth, and I’m just impressed by how quickly you picked it up.” I shut my mouth, face surely lighting up a deep crimson, mentally face palming at how awkward I must sound. A light dusting of pink covers Amity’s cheeks but she doesn’t comment, instead ripping off the glyph.

“Here. Let me help.” She moves closer to my head. “Let me see the back of your head” I pull away from the tree, grimacing at the pain. As I pull away I hear Amity suck in a breath of air, but she tries to cover it up. “This doesn’t look too bad. Let me see what I can do.” She lightly lays the paper on the back of my head, tapping it as gently as she can so as to not hurt me, and I instantly feel a warmth spread through my head from the point of contact. My headache reduces immediately, although not totally.

I chuckle softly. “Wow, Glyphs are one _heck_ of a drug.” She giggles slightly at my statement, then starts drawing again, I was about to ask why before realizing the pain in my back. Now that my head is better I could feel the wet stickiness, the soreness, and I knew why Amity had been shocked before.

We sit there for a few more minutes, Amity drawing glyphs, being as gentle as possible, slowly healing up various parts of my body. Eventually I am good enough to walk, still sore throughout most of my body. I give Amity a lopsided grin, pulling her into a tight hug. “Thank you.” I whisper as she returns the embrace. It hurts a little, but it’s ok. It’s worth it to be this close to her.

It sounds like she’s trying to say something and I wait. I know she has trouble getting her emotions out sometimes. “It’s… It’s nothing Luz. Of course I had to help you. I thought you were going to die for a moment there. I was so worried. I…” She pauses, and I pull back, looking her in the eyes. She’s crying again.

“You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to.” I cup her face in my hand again, wiping the tears away as they fall.

Amity looks me in the eyes, the gorgeous golden disks sparkling in the setting sun. It looks like she wants to say something but instead she just bites her lower lip, looking away and sighing. “It’s nothing. I’m just glad you’re ok.” The light blush returns to her cheek. She looks up, finally seeming to notice the time. She stands up, holding out a hand for me. “We should get going. It’s late, I’m sure Eda’s going to expect you back soon.”

I take her hand, my bones creaking slightly as I stand. I stumble a little and she grabs my waist to straighten me out. We’re both blushing slightly, and we quickly disentangle ourselves from each other. I rub the back of my neck, not super sure what to say. Amity holds out the book to me. “Oh Amity, I couldn’t take that, it was so expensive; you should keep it.” She gives a small laugh and shakes her head.

“I’m not the one training in glyphs, you dork. Take it. Consider it thanks for taking me to Grom.” My cheeks flare up again, thinking back to the night, smiling goofily. I nod, taking the book.

“Thank you. I’ll learn everything I can from this book, then use my newfound magical mastery to earn enough money to pay you back!” I pull her into another hug, hearing her gentle laugh ringing in my ear like the sweetest symphony.

“You don’t understand how gifts work, do you, Noceda?” She gives me a firm embrace, and we stay that way for longer than would be platonically normal. Then we split, going our separate ways. I notice as we leave that Amity is blushing just as hard as I am.

***

I’m about to go into the Owl House before having a thought, a grin spreading across my face. I flip through the book, finding the glyph I was looking for. I write it out quickly, then casually saunter into the house. “Hey Eda! King!” I shoot finger guns at them both in the kitchen. Eda turns to greet me then does a double take.

“Kid, I told you to make it worth while but I didn’t mean body modification! What did you do to your ears?” She looks a wild mixture of concerned and impressed. I double over laughing, the bout of laughter causing me to lose focus and my witch-y ears disappear. She now just looks confused.

I stand up, wiping a tear from my eye before proudly presenting the book. “Look what Amity and I found in the market!” I flip through it, showing off all the glyphs. As I do she takes in the rest of me, seeing the scuffed clothes, the scratches on her face, the slight singes. She narrows her eyes, now suspicious and definitely worried.

She walks over, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Kid, I’m happy you found more glyphs. Truly I am. But what happened? You look like a mess!”

I rub the back of my head, chuckling nervously as I think back. I blush slightly before starting to explain. I told her first about the demon, and how we defeated it, and the moments in the forest with Amity healing me. I left out the more… Intimate moments? _Were they intimate?_ I once again have to shake myself out of my thoughts. Hearing about the demon makes the look of worry in Eda’s eyes lessen, but she looks back at the book with the remaining worry.

She quickly marshalls her face into her usual cocky grin. “That all you did today kid? Get roughed up by some demon? After I went out of my way to carry the groceries home all by myself?”

I scoff. “You didn’t carry them! You used magic!” Eda waves it off as if that isn’t important before I continue. “But…” The blush came back, a little stronger. “I did have a great day with Amity. We went to a bunch of cool places…” I went on to explain the rest of the day, getting animated, and blushing when talking about some of my favorite parts of the day. By the end Eda is smiling down at me warmly.

“Well it sounds like you had a great day kiddo.” She affectionately ruffles my hair and I laugh softly at her affection. She’s being a lot more affectionate lately, and it really helps me feel welcome here. Like people could actually like me for me. Instead of what I do for them. Like maybe… My train of thought was interrupted again. “Now get up to bed. You had a long day and we have another early one tomorrow.” I groan jokingly but give the Owl Lady a quick hug before running upstairs, the biggest grin splitting my face thinking about the day I had. Maybe things would work out after all.

***

I run upstairs, heading into my room and doing a little spin and a squeal of excitement as I flop onto my sleeping bag. _I really need to get a real mattress at some point_. After some external emotes of joy, I get up to finish off my day. Changing into my pajamas, brushing my teeth, I take my new scroll and sit by the window, one leg hanging out as I stare out on the night time of the Isles for a moment. 

I open it up and decide to try out the drawing functionality. It’s so cool, I hit a button and the phone-sized object triples in size, and I find a whole array of tools floating in the air before me. I do a few doodles of Azura and Hecate just to test it out, before diving into a bigger sketch. It is, of course, Amity in her new dress. She had done a spin to show it off when she was trying it on and the way she had laughed when she spun had just stuck in my mind. I draw and draw, trying to capture the joy in her eyes, the wind slightly whipping through her hair, the dress flaring out around her legs. She is truly the most beautiful person I have ever met. And maybe. Just maybe. She’d like me back one day.

With that thought I take out my regular phone, sending a goodnight text to my mother. 

**Luz[11:47 PM]: Buenas noches mamá. Fue un día maravilloso. No puedo esperar para contártelo todo.**

I put both my phone and my scroll aside, settling into my sleep cocoon. As I try to fall asleep my thoughts start to drift off throughout the events of the day. At first they’re good. Happy thoughts, Amity smiling, laughing, beautiful. But in a second they change. The blushes. The hesitance. The awkwardness. Every time I had done something wrong or acted awkward flashes through my mind. The idea of Amity ever liking me back starts drifting further and further from my mind. I was starting to sweat, tossing and turning to try and get rid of the thoughts when I hear a buzz. 

I look up, expecting it to be my mother. But it was my scroll. I pull it over, dreading the worst. Only two people have my number, and if Eda needed something she would just come up. Indeed, it’s a message from Amity. With dread in my heart I open the message, barely daring to look.

**Amity[12:25 AM]: Hey Luz. I just wanted to say today was. A really good day. I haven’t really just had a day to spend like that with someone in so long. I really hope we can do it again sometime. I really like hanging out with you.**

And with that, the doubt, the thoughts of awkwardness or forwardness, they all flee from my mind. Amity might not like-like me. She might. But she LIKES me. As a friend, or maybe more, it didn’t matter. Amity likes ME, for who I was, not what I do for her. And with that revelation I’m finally able to drift off, but not before sending off one message.

**Luz[12:28 AM]: I like hanging out with you too Amity. You’re my best friend. Sleep tight <3**

***

**_With Eda..._ **

My scroll buzzes as Luz leaves the room, practically dancing up the steps. She looks so happy, I hope this is going to work. I sip my apple blood as I pull up my scroll, seeing a text from Edric.

**Edric[10:11 PM]: So? How’d Luz seem to enjoy her** **_date_ ** **?**

**Eda[10:12 PM]: She described her day and the whole time acted like she’d downed several pints of apple blood. I’d say it went pretty well, but it doesn’t sound like either of them actually confessed. What about Amity?**

**Emira[10:14 PM]: She practically burned up when we asked how her day was. She showed us this little statuette Luz had gifted her, and she’s in even deeper if that’s possible.**

**Edric[10:14 PM] I feel like one of them is going to have to break soon. Especially now that Luz has a scroll, they’ll never stop talking. Eventually one of them is going to slip.**

**Eda[10:15 PM] Well if something doesn’t happen in the next week we’ll just have to push them into that slip. I already have an idea. I’ll text you both about it in the morning.**

I poof my scroll away, finishing off my apple blood with a warm smile in the direction of the stairs. _Just you wait Luz. You’ll have your fairy tale romance soon, I promise._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Estás tan linda en ese vestido - You are so beautiful in that dress  
> Hermosa - Beautiful  
> Buenas noches mamá. Fue un día maravilloso. No puedo esperar para contártelo todo. - Good night mom. It was a fantastic (marvellous) day. I can't wait to tell you everything.  
> ¡Qué vaina! - Damn!/Damn It!
> 
> Thanks again so much for getting this far. Any comments would be greatly appreciated, again this is my first fic so I would love any constructive criticism you would leave. Thanks everyone, have a great day <3


	2. Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz and Eda go on an adventure, Amity has a bad day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! First of all, thank you so much to everyone that left comments and kudos on the last chapter! I can’t believe my first fic already has a hundred kudos, you all make me feel so welcome, I really can’t express my gratitude enough. 
> 
> Second of all, it’s been about two weeks since my last update but I’ve done a LOT of work on setting up the rest of the story since then, so I should hopefully have the next chapter out in a week this time. No promises, but I should just be able to write for the next week and have it ready in time.
> 
> This chapter is pretty light, although it starts with a pretty rough nightmare and there is some angst in there. But there’s also some more momma Eda and Lumity fluff to balance it out!
> 
> Also, be sure to check out my endnotes! I’m looking for some beta readers, details at the end.

_ The roar of a storm, a splash of freezing water, a rush of adrenaline, a scream that breaks me. _

The world comes into focus and I’m in the clearing. The glyph in two pieces, a piece in each of my hands, and I see her against a tree. She’s holding her stomach, and I can see the blood from here. I run, stumbling in fear as I skid to her side. I’m crying as I pull out my pad and pencil, hastily scribbling the healing glyph from earlier. I press it to her stomach, but instead of glowing the brilliant blue it had earlier, it fizzles into smoke and ash. I try again and again, making sure my lines are perfect. I can barely see for the tears in my eyes as I feel her hand cup my cheek, pulling my eyes up to meet hers.There are tears in her eyes as well, but a look of resignation, and a look of longing.

“ _ Luz. I need you to know. I…”  _ She coughs, the color rapidly draining from her face.

“ _ Amity no! Amity I won’t let this happen! _ ” I practically scream, picking her up and running with all my strength towards the Owl House. Eda will be able to fix this. She has to be able to fix this.

“ _ Luz. _ ” Her voice is weaker, but she forces me to look down at her, her hand again on my cheek again. “ _ Luz. I love you. I have for a long time now. _ ” She smiles weakly, her eyes fluttering, the last of her strength seeming to pass as she gets out the confession. I run harder but I know I’m too late. Her hand drops from my cheek and I feel her body go limp in my arms. I stumble as I feel it, falling with her. I cry, every ounce of me gone as I hold her close to me, refusing to let her go.

“ _ I love you too Amity. _ ”

***

I wake up, a scream dying on my lips, tears streaking my cheeks. I look around, seeing I’m in my room in the Owl House, King sleeping quietly at the foot of my bed. I’m disoriented for a minute before checking the time. Early, but not too early to go back to sleep even if I had been capable of doing so. I quickly text Amity on my scroll, pacing the room in anxiety for a few moments before I receive a message back. 

**Luz[6:39 AM]: Hey are you up?**

**Amity[6:41 AM]: Yes, I am. Is something wrong? I didn’t think you’d be up this early on a weekend.**

The anxiety in my chest loosens when I see her response. I quickly respond, trying my best to reassure her.

**Luz[6:41 AM]: No no no nothing wrong. Just a bad dream!**

**Luz[6:42 AM]: It’s nice to be able to text you whenever I want though :)**

Now that the irrational fear of my dream is leaking away, I start preparing for the day. I text back and forth with Amity while I wait for Eda to get up. Apparently Amity is up so early in preparation for some family function she’s being forced to attend. It sounds really boring, so I promise to text her whenever I can to help her through it.

Around 7:30 she says she has to go get ready for the event, so I go downstairs and start preparing breakfast. I know Eda and King won’t be up for a while but if they smell my pancakes they’ll come down and we can get this day started off on the right foot.

The moment the scent of pancakes is able to waft through the house to Eda’s room, I hear some stumbling and shuffling as Eda gets up. She comes down muttering about how early it is before pouring a mug of apple blood. King sleepingly stumbles into the kitchen just as I place three plates of pancakes on the table. We dig in quietly, the sounds of knives and forks clattering as the other two slowly wake up.

About halfway through breakfast I notice Eda looking at me intently and I can see the concern in her face. I’m sure she’s able to read the distress from my dream last night but I try to hide it, softly humming along to a song in my head while I eat.

“The King of Demons needs a nap!” King announces as he finishes his pancakes. Before leaving he gives my leg a quick hug and mutters “And thanks for the pancakes” under his breath. I laugh and give him a little head pat before he pads over to the chest under the window, curling up and instantly falling asleep in the morning sunlight.

As soon as King is asleep Eda refocuses her attention on me and tries to put on a casual tone. “So kid, that Blight girl treatin’ you ok? She’s not suddenly a bully again is she?” I smile softly at the obvious concern, able to tell from the way her brow is slightly furrowed how worried she is about me.

I swallow the bite I’m chewing before speaking. “No it’s not Amity; I just had a bad dream is all. Nothing to be worried about.” I quickly finish my pancakes, putting the dish in the sink. “I’m gonna go get ready for the day! Let me know when we’re leaving!” I run out of the room, but not without noticing the slight frown on Eda’s face.

_ I know Eda’s concerned about me but it really was just a stupid dream. It’s not like Amity ACTUALLY died. And it’s not like knowing that confession was just a dream actually hurt that much. I already knew she didn’t like me. This is nothing new. It’s not like... Yesterday…  _ I shake my head, attempting to scatter the intrusive thoughts to allow me to focus on packing. Eda hasn’t really said what we’re doing yet so I don’t know exactly what to bring so I just grab the duffle I use for our longer excursions and pack whatever might be useful; winter clothes, some extra pads and pencils, Azura 6, some dog treats(You never know when you might meet a cute dog on the Boiling Isles! I haven’t yet but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist!).

While I wait for Eda to get ready I pull out my scroll and expand it, opening up the drawing app. I see the drawing of Amity from last night and I smile warmly, happy memories of yesterday flooding in. I make sure the image is saved before opening a new document. I think for a second, waiting for inspiration to strike, then start sketching. I only get about halfway through my sketch, a single human figure and what looks a lot like the elemental spirit from yesterday coming into focus, when Eda knocks on my door. “Time to head out kiddo!” I stow my scroll, grab the duffle, and head out the front door to see what we’re doing today.

***

Eda leaves Hooty in charge, much to King’s fury. We hop on Owlbert and head towards our destination. Remembering that Eda still hadn’t told me where we are going I lean forward excitedly so Eda can hear me over the wind. “So Eda-a-a-a-a,” I stretch her name out excitedly “Where we goin’?”

I could tell Eda is grinning from the side and she turns slightly to look at me. “Today we’re headed to a part of the Isles where many witches fear to tread. A place of stone tunnels and dark crevices, a place of scuttling creatures and danger around every corner.” We crest a hill dramatically and I see a large plain of stone before us, pockmarked with thousands of tunnel entrances, massive insects traveling across the spaces between, skirmishes breaking out all across the space. As I look around trying to take it all in, Eda announces “The Creeping Flats!”

I take a second, looking around and taking in as many details as I can. I sigh in awe, the uniqueness of the Boiling Isles surprising me once again. I see many creatures; spiders crossed with ants, butterflies crossed with moths, termites crossed with bees. Strangely, even the flying insects seem to have homes in the ground. I wonder why that is. After a few moments I speak up again. “So what are we here for?”

I look back to see Eda scanning the field below, presumably looking for a safe and convenient spot to land. “We’re here for ant-spiders. The silk they weave is incredibly useful. It’s incredibly strong but also silky smooth, it can be used to enhance the corporeality of illusions, it can be boiled down into an incredibly strong adhesive, and it even makes surprisingly delicious spaghetti.” She cackles at the last part, finally spotting a good location and descending.

“Alright so you’re going to need to be on high alert. We’re going into an ant-spider nest and they’re very territorial. Keep your glyphs ready, stay close, and do as I say.” Eda says all this with an unusually stern look on her face and I nod, following her into the nearby tunnel. Just as it starts to get too dark to see and I’m about to light up a glyph, Eda puts a hand on mine to stop it and casts two quick spells. I notice her pupils grow unnaturally wide, and I assume mine do as well as I’m suddenly able to see a lot better in this dark tunnel.

Keeping my voice down I whisper-shout “Night Vision! Gosh Eda you are just so cool.” She gives me a smirk that says  _ I know _ before turning and waving her hand. The two of us descend into the earth, an air of caution and excitement surrounding us.

We delve pretty far down, walking for almost 15 minutes before skittering sounds hit both of our ears. Eda holds up a hand to stop me before peeking around a corner for a quick look. She comes back, hunching down and whispering. “Ok we’re close. The queen ant-spider’s chamber is just down the next hall, but we’re going to have to face a lot of those things to get to her. They’re pretty easy to take out but they’re fast, and they can come from any direction. So stay on guard and take them out as soon as you see them.” I nod my head, my eyes determined.

We turn the corner, creeping as quietly as we can in hopes of not alerting the creatures to our presence too soon. Eventually we come across a large opening and we both peak inside, seeing a huge creature, bigger than the Slitherbeast, and looking like exactly what you would expect when hearing the word “ant-spider”. We also see dozens of smaller creatures, around the size of large dogs, skittering around the room, feeding what is presumably the queen or carving new tunnels or transporting materials. Eda turns to me, pointing at herself and gesturing right, then pointing at me and gesturing left. I nodded, and she used her fingers to count down. 3… 2… 1… GO!

We burst out into the opening, Eda veering right and me veering left. She starts drawing circles, blasting ant-spiders left and right with her spells, using Owlbert to create larger effects and defending herself when necessary. I sprint around and start slapping glyphs, knocking creatures out with pillars of ice, pulling walls down behind me to take out creatures following me. I’m doing great!  _ These new glyphs are really amazingI _ I take out a line of the creatures with a lightning glyph, feeling my confidence surge. 

I have an idea, it’s risky, but I’m sure I can do this. I drop a circle of plant glyphs, kiting a group of the creatures. I trap the group in between the roots I pull from the ground and set the plants aflame.  _ It worked! Luz Noceda you are KILLING it today!  _ Is my last thought before I feel a weight drop on me. I get out a cry as I feel a number of creatures take advantage of my moment of celebration, starting to pile on top of me. I get out a scream and suddenly I feel the weight recede as a powerful blast of wind knocks the group away. I see Eda standing in the middle of the room, chest heaving with exertion as she clears the last of the ant-spiders.

I’m about to apologize when we both sharply turn our heads as we hear a loud roar and see the queen is standing properly now, looking ready to fight. Eda and I close the distance between us, readying ourselves for the next round.

The fight is intense, each of us getting thrown multiple times by the creature’s giant legs, Eda almost getting snapped in half by the Queen’s massive mandibles before I can use an ice glyph to knock the Queen off balance. The Queen is not taken down as easily as her subjects, and I’m almost out of glyphs by the time one of my last fireballs hits her square in the chest after she is sent reeling up by gale force winds from Eda. The fire engulfs her chest and a final savage scream is heard, and the Queen lays dead.

Eda and I, both of us panting from the exhaustion and length of the battle, remain vigilant for a few more moments while attempting to catch our breaths. We don’t see any more ant-spiders coming in to avenge their queen so, after a couple of minutes and some water spells to cool us off, we approach the massive corpse of the Queen. Eda gets down to business, telling me to rest as this is delicate work. She slowly works her way into the Queen’s abdomen, slowly and carefully extracting a large amount of silken string. After she seems to be satisfied with the amount she coils it up like a large rope and slings it over her shoulder like a bandolier. She then sits down next to where I am on the ground, letting out a sigh of relief.

“Well. That certainly could have gone worse.” she chuckles softly, but now that the action has cooled off I can see the worry lines in her face.

I shrink into myself a little, feeling guilty for worrying Eda. “I’m sorry you had to save me. I got overconfident, and I didn’t pay attention. You shouldn’t have had to worry about keeping an eye on me.” I mumble most of this into my knees, looking at the ground in front of me.

I feel a hand land on my back, a surprisingly maternal gesture from Eda. “Hey kid, it’s ok. I know you can take care of yourself, and I know you’ve gotten a lot more powerful recently, but I’m still the most powerful witch on the boiling isles.” We both laugh softly at the pronouncement. “And I’m here to protect you, even if you don’t need it.” She pauses for a moment, a warm smile on her face. “I really care about you Luz. So don’t feel bad about needing help. We all need help some days right?”

I feel tears prickling at the edges of my eyes, my heart swelling with the proclamations of kindness and care from Eda. I quickly wrap around her waist in a hug and for once she hugs me back. We stay that way for a few seconds before Eda stands up. “Alright kid, lets get headed out.” I nod my head, smiling warmly at the old witch, feeling a comforting safety I haven’t since… Since I was back in the human world. I can feel a sense of dread settling onto me, shaking my head quickly to disperse the thoughts.  _ Not now. Not on such a good day. _

I quickly follow Eda, taking some pictures of the carnage to send to Amity. I take a selfie by the Queen, throwing up a single finger gun since my other hand is holding the scroll. I take some pictures of the smaller soldiers, putting explosion emoji over the images. I took another picture of the planes themselves as we flew away, trying to capture a few of the oddly gorgeous moth-butterflies. I finally get a picture of Eda’s triumphant face on the broom, holding our hard-earned prize tightly around her shoulders.

I open up my text thread with Amity, smiling warmly as I send over the images.

**Luz[2:45 PM]: Another crazy dangerous day with the Owl Lady!**

After waiting a few minutes without a response I remember that Amity has some kind of party she has to attend today. I pocket my scroll, looking up at Eda who seems to be looking at me with concern on her face again. This is a different concern though. Before it was concern for my life, now it’s concern for. Something else. I can’t quite put my finger on it.

She finally speaks up after staring at me for a few minutes. “Kid is everything ok? You’ve been distracted all day, and you looked like you were gonna cry for a second when you were texting little Blight.” The concern is clear in her voice, and I don’t realize until she mentions Amity that the knot in my chest from last night’s dream is still there. I sigh, fidgeting a little on the staff. Eda slows down, giving me time to formulate my thoughts.

After a few moments I speak. “I wasn’t lying earlier, it really was a bad dream. I…” I gulp slightly, the dream coming back into my head in sharper focus, tears threatening to fall. “I told you what happened yesterday, with the elemental. Well I dreamed that I was there again. In that fight. But this time it was Amity that got hurt. And she got hurt bad. I tried to bring her back to the house but…” Tears start falling, and I choke back a sob as I remember the moment. I practically whisper the next part. “She died. Right in my arms. There was nothing I could do. And it scared me. So much. I care so much about Amity and seeing that happen to her hurt so much and I didn’t know what I was going to do and I can’t lose her, she’s one of my only friends, I can’t lose another friend Eda I can’t I was just starting to think she might...” I stop my train of thought as I feel Eda’s hand on my shoulder.

“Hey. Take a moment kid. Breathe in.” I did, breathing in a deep calming breath. “Breathe out.” And again I did, a lot of the stress of the moment flowing out of me, through both my breath and through Eda’s hand on my shoulder which grounded me. “Now. I get it. That’s hard. I’ve had similar nightmares and they stick with you. But you know she’s ok right? You were just texting her. She’s still alive, you’re still alive, and neither of those things are going to change anytime soon.” 

I nod slowly, drying my eyes as I listen to Eda’s words. She’s right of course, it was just a dream. But it felt so real, so visceral. “I wish I could just hear her voice…” 

Eda snorts softly, rubbing my shoulder softly. “What do you think I got you that scroll for? See if you can call her. I’m sure she’ll be free for you as soon as she can.” And with a warm smile, she gives me a short one-armed hug and a quick kiss on the top of my head. “Everything’s gonna be okay Luz. I promise.” I smile, nodding as Eda turns back, speeding up again to get back to the house.

***

We eventually land in front of the Owl House, noticing Hooty is somewhere in the house, presumably annoying King. We walk in and both start to laugh as the sound of King’s squeak of rage filters in from the kitchen. We walk into the kitchen to see King ineffectually attempting to attack Hooty while Hooty holds Francois in the air out of King’s reach. As King hears us enter the room he turns around and runs up to Eda. “Eda-a-a-a-a-a-a-a. Tell Hooty to give me Francois back!”

Eda chuckles, leaning down to rub King’s head before looking at Hooty. “Put the doll down Hooty. Why do you even have it?”

Hooty corkscrews towards us, keeping Francois balanced atop him. “Well Ki-i-i-i-ing wasn’t paying atte-e-e-ention to me so I took his do-o-o-o-o-oll.”

Eda snatches the stuffed rabbit off Hooty’s head, dropping it down to King who hugs it tight, “Nyeh”-ing in happiness before scampering off. “Well we’re home now so you can stop torturing King and go back to guarding the house.”

Hooty got far too close to Eda’s face “Or I could torture yo-o-o-o-ou” Eda gave him a death glare, causing him to back away. “Geez! Fine! Nobody wants to hang out with old Hooty! Hoot!” And he exits through the kitchen window, grumbling the whole way.

Eda shakes her head. “Alright kid you go ahead and do whatever you’re gonna do for the rest of the day. I’m gonna start preparing dinner, I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

I run upstairs to my room, flopping down onto my sleeping bag and pulling out my scroll. Still no response from Amity, but that’s to be expected.  _ Unless she just finally realized how weird you are. _ I shake my head again, trying to get rid of the thoughts.

**Luz[4:07 PM]: Hey Amity! I’m back at the Owl House. I’d love to chat, maybe call at some point? I know it’s been a long day for both of us, it’d be nice to just hear each other talk ya know? Let me know, you know where I’ll be, cause I’m here, on my phone, still typing. Ok I’m gonna go draw now. <3 <3 <3**

I quickly get up, moving over to the window nook and pulling up the drawing app on my scroll. I lean it against my knees and keep working on the piece from earlier. Once the sketch is done I start drawing more striking lines, properly filling in the shapes and then working to give the scene some color and shading. A human in flowing white robes and voluminous purple skirt, a crowned witch’s hat atop her head of brown hair, her tan skin glowing in the light of her staff. Next to her an emerald-haired witch in flowing robes of deepest blue, a crescent moon set into her hair, the pale skin practically radiant. Both of their staffs are pointed at what looks like a tornado. A whirlwind of chaos and debris, the creature seemed to consist of wind and water and earth and fire. It is seemingly in the middle of a death roar and the two witch’s spells are connected near its center, a blinding light forming there. I smile, satisfied with my drawing after a number of hours. Amity still hasn’t responded so I send her the drawing.

**Luz[7:46 PM]: I drew this and I thought you might like it. Luzura and Hecamity, taking down the dangerous demon of the elements!**

Just as I finish sending the image I hear Eda calling me down for dinner. I head down, eat what suspiciously looked like a brain with legs, do the dishes for Eda since she cooked, then head back up to sleep. It has been a long day, and I do have school tomorrow. I’m laying in bed, about to drift off when I hear my scroll buzz.

All thoughts of sleep vanish from my head as I check my scroll. One new message from Amity. I squeal a little with excitement before opening to check the message.

**Amity[8:57 PM]: Hey Luz. Sorry for being so non-responsive today. The party was… a lot. To deal with. I would actually really like to have a call, if you’re still up?**

**Luz[8:57 PM]: Of course I am! I’m always around for you Amity :)**

Seconds later her scroll buzzed, an incoming call from Amity. I pick up and, keeping my voice down, speak. “Hey Amity.”

“Hey Luz.” and just like that, with just two syllables, the knot in my chest unravels fully, finally allowing me to fully relax for the first time all day.

“So tell me what happened at the party!” I say, hoping my intent was clear. If she needs to talk about it, she can, but she doesn't have to.

Amity laughs softly at my enthusiasm. “I’d rather not. It was hard enough to go through it once, I’d rather not relive it if need be.” I nod my head sharply before remembering she can’t see me. Before I can verbally respond she speaks up again. “Could you just tell me about your day? The pictures looked interesting. Also, I loved the drawing you sent me, it was beautiful.”

I smile wildly, the compliment filling my heart with gratitude. “I’m so glad you enjoyed the drawing. It was really fun to do, and I thought you would like it too, and I’m really glad you did.” I shut my mouth, noticing I’m rambling again before taking a breath. “Sure. I can tell you about my day.” And I do. I give her an in-depth review, starting with breakfast and going through every little detail. I leave out the moment with Eda on the staff, and the dream, but I tell her everything else.

About halfway through recounting the blow-by-blow of the fight with the Queen, I hear a soft snoring from the scroll, and I smile warmly. I set the scroll down next to me, thinking for a second, before whispering softly into the device, “I love you Amity Blight.” and then turn over, falling asleep to the sound of Amity’s adorable snores.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have a few things I wanted to talk about. First, feel free to follow me on twitter! I don’t really use it much but I’m going to try and use it more for these fics. I post any time a new one goes up, and if people are interested I might start posting sneak peaks! That’s a thing people do right? Sneak peaks? I dunno I’m really new to this whole fanfic thing. Lemme know! You can find me on twitter @Maxrimus
> 
> Secondly, as I mentioned above, I am looking for beta readers! My current beta reader has been kind enough to beta read my first two chapters despite not being caught up on the show, so I’m looking for readers in the fandom now that might be willing to help out. Only qualification, I am looking for someone 18 or older. I’m a male in my mid-20s, I’m sure you can understand my hesitance to privately contact minors online. If you’re interested, DM me on twitter(My DMs should be open), or leave a comment below if you’d prefer some other method of contact.
> 
> Thirdly, just a minor plug of my other works, I am doing Owltober this year! But in fanfic. I’m posting a short(<1000 words) flash fic daily, so check those out if you like this! They’re much rougher than this story as they don’t have a beta reader, but I’m really enjoying writing them!
> 
> Lastly, I THINK I’ve finally settled on how long this fic is going to be. Each chapter will be a day, and the timeline will be the Saturday in the last chapter, through to the next Sunday. So 9 days, 9 chapters. I guess this is a slow-burn now? I really didn’t expect this fic to get so massive, but I just have so many ideas that they just fill the pages. So! Look forward to 7(probably) more chapters of this! Thanks again to anyone that read this, kudos and comments are always appreciated :)


	3. Duels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a Monday. Luz has some classes with Amity, and a tournament happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the support on the last chapter. I’m so excited for the rest of this fic to come out! I’ll definitely try my best to stick to a weekly schedule, every Monday around when I wake up. (Which can vary wildly from 7 am-2 pm EDT, so the time of day is just gonna be a fun guessing game!)
> 
> I’d like to thank my new beta reader/editor for helping me out on this chapter. I think they did a great job, and I hope you agree!
> 
> This chapter has a lot of action, a fair amount of fluff, and just a wee bit of angst. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter! See you all in a week!

I pop into the not-so-secret hideout of the multi-track kids and make my way towards my usual meeting spot with Amity. Now that multi-tracking is allowed at Hexside, many more students are doing it. The secret hideout is the best way to accommodate students who sometimes travel across the school between classes. So while only the multi-track students are technically allowed access, it is a pretty open secret around most of the school about how to get in. I pass some 2 and 3 trackers and see Viney as I am making my way down the spiral. “Viney, hey!” I put on a big grin as Viney turns around, a light blush on her face for some reason.

“Oh- oh, hey, Luz! How was your weekend?” She asks. Her face suddenly growing redder as I see the face of none other than Emira Blight rest on her shoulder, her arms snaking around Viney’s waist from behind.

“Yea, how was your weekend Luz? Have any fun times with any special little witchlings?” She winks at me, a knowing smirk on her face.

I’m confused for a second why Emira and Viney are here together but shrug, deciding just to answer the question. “Yea, it was really good! I spent most of Saturday with Amity, and that was really cool, and then yesterday, Eda and I killed a Queen Ant-Spider! It was a crazy time. Oh, and I learned a bunch of new glyphs thanks to a gift from Amity!”

Emira’s knowing smirk has grown into a full-on grin. Still, before either of them could ask any clarifying questions, the second bell rang. “Oh, sorry! I’m gonna be late. Good luck with your classes, you two!” I wave at them both and run off, opening one of the doors just as I see Amity pulling out her scroll, looking worried. When she sees me, relief spread over her face.

“You weren’t planning on being late to class, were you?” She asks playfully, a small smirk on her face, with just a hint of a blush on her cheeks.  _ Wow, she’s cute when she blushes. _

“No, of course not! I would never skip Abominations with you, Amity!” I smile, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the classroom, seeing the smirk turn into a genuine smile.  _ Her smile is so beautiful. _ “I just got caught up for a second. I saw Viney in the hideout, and for some reason, your sister was with her?”

Amity gives a wry chuckle, shaking her head slightly. “Have you really not noticed how much time those two are spending together?” I look at her questioningly, the gears in my mind turning. Thinking back to Viney’s blush and how close they were. Just as we arrive at the classroom, the final piece slips into place.

“Oooooooooo. They’ve been spending a lot of time  _ together _ .” I wiggle my eyebrows, putting emphasis on the last word. Amity giggles; the sound raises my heart rate a couple notches. She nods affirmatively as we find our seats. I think for a second longer. “And ya know, I’ve noticed Edric spending a lot of time with Jerbo as well.” Amity nods again, a smirk once again forming.

“Oh, yea. I’m finally getting dirt to use against them for once. Finally, I can tease them about their relationships instead of them…” Amity cuts herself off mid-sentence, a beet red blush covering her whole face.  _ Oh, I hope she’s not angry about her siblings’ teasing. I should really talk to them about that.  _ She seems to gasp for air for a few seconds before the Abomination professor comes in, starting the lecture.

I wait a little bit of time for Amity’s face to regain its usual complexion before passing her a note. ‘We’re still on for Azura Book Club this Friday, right?’

Amity scribbles a quick reply, still in her perfect handwriting, sliding it back. ‘Of course we are, why wouldn’t we be?’

I have a brief battle in my chest, panic at answering her question versus the elation that it’s still happening, before replying. ‘No reason, of course we are; I just wanted to check that you’d still be free. I know how busy you can be on weekends.’

I see her roll her eyes at the note, a small smile creeping onto her lips as she writes out a reply. ‘Sure, but I’m never too busy for Azura Book Club.’

My heart fills with warmth seeing her note, and I smile warmly. We both take some time as the professor launches into the meat, well the slime, of the lecture. We take notes, concentrating on the more complex intricacies of creating abomination slime. After some time, the class slows down, and Amity slides me a message. ‘How was Ethics?’

I scribble my response, my excitement about the topic clear. ‘Oh, it was exciting! We’re discussing magical hierarchy this week and the source of magic. I’m really excited to learn about all the different ways magic manifests across the Isles!’

I see Amity smiling at my enthusiasm, but when she reads my reply, a small bit of worry clouds her expression before she covers over it. Before she can finish her response, I put a hand on her arm, my eyes locked to hers, asking what’s wrong. I know she knows the look I’m giving her, and she lets out a small sigh before crossing out what she had written and writing something new. ‘I’m happy that you’re excited, but I’m worried. You know how the Isles feel about humans and their perceived lack of magical abilities. There might be some heavy anti-human rhetoric thrown around, I’m just concerned for you having to hear that.’

I take a moment to read the words before turning to Amity and giving her my bravest smile. I write back, ‘Don’t worry about me Amity, I’m your fearless champion! And besides, as long as I know you believe in my magical abilities, I can get through anything.’

As I pass the note over and Amity reads it, I can see a blush creep onto her face.  _ I can never get over how cute she is when she blushes. Although I guess I should stop reminding her of Grom, she still hasn’t asked out her crush.  _ Amity quickly writes a response, passing the paper back to me, ‘Well then I’m excited for you to learn all about magic and its origins this week. And if you need any help with studying, you know where to find me.’ And there’s a single heart at the end of the message. My heart goes into overdrive, and my face is covered in a blush, trying to think through the possible implications. I get too distracted by the simple icon, and the rest of the class seems to just slip by. The scream of the bell wakes me from my stupor. I blink a few times, rapidly packing up my things as Amity patiently waits for me. She’s smiling the small smile she has, the one that is so rarely seen but seems to speak so much that I can’t quite understand. I hope to one day understand that smile. I finish packing, and we make our way out of the classroom, chatting idly before splitting at a hallway. Amity headed to high-level Abomination class while I’m headed to Runic Languages. We promise to see each other at lunch and go our separate ways.

***

I pop out of the secret door near the cafeteria, smiling as I see Amity turn the corner right on time. She smiles warmly at me as we walk into the lunchroom together. We make our way to our usual table with Gus and Willow; I sit across from Willow and Amity across from Gus. Even though Gus, Willow, and I have classes together in the morning, there’s never enough time to properly catch up. Monday’s lunch is always a whirlwind of chatter as we all catch up on our weekends.

I say a whirlwind, but most of the wind is provided by Gus and me. I chatter on for ages about Saturday, Amity remaining quieter than usual but not objecting, and Willow seems to be giving Amity some kind of knowing look. Gus talks about some new human things he found out about over the weekend, and I have to correct all of his improper assumptions, as usual. I never know where he gets all this terrible information, but I’m always happy to talk about the human realm with him. Willow says she spent most of her weekend in the house, either doing homework or helping her Dads do stuff around the house. One of her Plant track assignments is blooming nicely, and she’s happy it seems to be coming along at just the right rate to be ready by the due date. We ask Amity about her weekend, but she gives the usual vague answer as always, a mutter about family obligations. Still, she does perk up a little when she corroborates my story, saying Saturday was an enjoyable time.

Once we’re all done recounting our weekends, the conversation slows a little, and Amity and Gus pull out their scrolls. I remember my new scroll and eagerly pull it out. “Oh, yea! Gus, Willow, I finally got my own scroll this weekend!” I show them excitedly. “And look what it can do!” I tap the drawing app, and the scroll expands, showing the image of Amity and I fighting the creature from Saturday. Gus puts his hands on his cheeks as his eyes shimmer in awe, while Willow just smiles warmly.

“Looks like we’ll finally be able to get in contact with you without having to make the trek to the Owl House, huh?” She quips, her smile morphing into a slight smirk.

“Don’t act like you don’t love the Owl House! It’s the best house on the Boiling Isles, inhabited by the Greatest Witch on the Boiling Isles! Who wouldn’t want to visit!” I smile as my friends all chuckle, shaking their heads fondly. “I am happy that I have a scroll now; it’ll be nice to be able to chat with you guys whenever I want from wherever I am.” We exchange scroll runes, setting up a group chat for the four of us. I smile, happiness spreading through my chest. Yes, these people hang out with me. Still, I always feel a disconnect from being mostly unable to communicate outside of school. Having this personal chat with three of my best friends, friends just a couple of months ago, I would have never thought I’d have, feels like a really solid anchor to me. A sign that yes, these people do care about me, they do like me. They’re not just putting up with me; they enjoy spending time with me and want to hear from me. It’s a good feeling, for once, to know that people want to spend time with you.

Gus and Willow start a conversation concerning one of the general classes they take together, and I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look over to see Amity, a look of concern on her face. She speaks softly, hoping Willow and Gus won’t hear. “Are you okay, Luz? You look…” She pauses, trying to decipher precisely what emotions I had apparently been wearing brightly on my face. “Not sad exactly. You looked happy, but it was pained happiness. Like the happiness reminded you of something bad that had happened in the past.”

I chuckle softly, the chuckle hitching halfway in my throat as I finally feel what Amity saw. It is nice, this feeling of being wanted by people you like. But it also brought up memories. So many memories, memories of the human world, of bullies, of tricksters and fakers, of all my attempts at friendship before now that just… failed. I look into Amity’s eyes, and for a split second, I convince myself I see something more than a platonic interest in them. I almost open myself up to the possibility. But I quickly shake it off, putting on a smile. “Yeah, of course, I’m okay, Amity. It’s nothing. Just some old memories that aren’t important right now. You’re all my friends, the best friends I’ve ever had, and I don’t want some old baggage to hold me back from enjoying my time with you all.” Amity looks like she wants to object, but I guess she decides better of it, nodding instead and returning to her lunch.  _ I’m sorry, Amity. That’s. Too personal right now. Maybe one day I’ll share that pain with you, but you deserve happiness. You don’t need to be dragged down by the insecurities of some human girl. _

With that, we finish our lunch, chatting pleasantly with each other. We all break apart; Amity and Gus going towards Runic Languages, Willow and I headed towards History of Magic. Only one more period until I see Amity again, but separating from her still hurt. Too much. I need to do something about these feelings soon.

***

After the always harrowing History of Magic class, Willow and I part ways as I slip into a secret entrance, heading towards the abomination laboratory. On the way, I see Viney and Jerbo, and I walk up, greeting them. “Hey, guys!” They each greet me back, and I continue. “So-o-o-o-o. I hear you two have been spending a lot of time with the Blight twins.” I wiggle my eyebrows to put a point onto my words.

Jerbo blushes fiercely, rubbing the back of his neck, while Viney gives a low chuckle. “So you finally found out about that, huh? Well, we were just following your lead, Ms. Grom Queen.” She smirks at me as my mind grinds to a halt.

I blink a few times, trying to form a coherent thought. “I… we… Amity…” I take a deep breath, shaking my head to clear my head. “Amity and I are just friends. And even if I like her.” My mind catches up with my mouth, face going red as I try to correct myself. “Not that I do! I mean I don’t hate her, Amity is amazing and wonderful and cute and smart!” I blush even harder. “But she likes someone else anyway, so what’s even the point! She still needs to ask her Grom crush out!”

As I finish my rant, both the older teens look at me with the most confused expressions on their faces. After a moment, Viney just breaks out into another soft chuckle, shaking her head fondly. “Ok, Luz. I know you’re a smart kid. But you’re dumber than Puddles sometimes.” She leans in conspiratorially, “And as much as I love Puddles, he can be really dumb sometimes.” 

And with that, the bell screams, and we have to part. I step out of the secret door outside the abominations lab, still extremely confused by Viney’s statement. Amity wanted to invite someone to Grom. That person must be the most amazing, unique, charismatic, special person in the whole world to draw the attention of Amity Blight. I’d always assumed it’s someone from another school or someone Amity knew from her parent’s parties. But the way Viney had talked made it sound like it was someone I knew? Like it was so obvious who Amity liked that I should have been able to figure it out? I was so lost in thought I literally bump into Amity again and fall over. I blink a few times, looking up to see Amity smirking at me and holding out a hand. “You should really watch where you’re going, you dork.” 

I let her help me up, a subtle blush on my cheeks as our hands touched. She’s also blushing.  _ Probably embarrassed at how clumsy I am.  _ But for once, I decide to look back, look harder at Amity’s expression. Edric told me all those weeks ago at the library that Amity gets red when she’s mad, and I’ve been working under that assumption this whole time. But the look in her eyes, there’s no anger there. No fear, no embarrassment, no disgust. It really looks to me like she’s looking at me with a look of… adoration? That can’t be right… Can it? I gather my books and quickly walk into class with her, my mind a whirling stormcloud of emotions.

We sit down at our station, where we’ll be continuing work on our semester-long abomination projects. Amity’s, of course, almost done, and she’s been helping me out a lot. Partly with the actual creating the abomination slime. But also, obviously, with actually raising the abominations. I had been granted special allowances to have Amity raise abominations for me. But today is different. Today I have the new glyphs Amity had found for me on Saturday. Today is going to be exciting.

The teacher gives the same reminder he always does at the start of class, “You each have 10 Abominations to make before the end of the semester. You may do them in any order you like, so long as you get each one verified by me once they are complete.” And with that, the lab begins. Amity and I check on our current projects, Amity working on her 9th abomination type only halfway into the semester while I am still working on my 6th. Last Friday, I thought I might have finished the 6th type’s concoction properly, and now is the time to test it. Amity is busy checking the consistency and color of her own Abomination slime, so I hastily produce my notepad and draw the glyph I had memorized. I tap it and quickly drop it into the Abomination slime, waiting to see what happens. There is a slight glow from within the vat, and suddenly it starts forming.

The slime before me starts rising, forming the construction abomination I had been working on. A denser abomination type with the ability to harden parts of its slime to create tools to assist on a construction site. The construction coven loves using them to carry large amounts of materials, especially when beefed up with some power glyphs. And as my abomination starts to rise, it looks perfect. The thicker than regular arms, the barrel chest. The abomination professor and Amity both notice at the same time. Amity looks at me, surprised before smiling, remembering how we had found the abomination glyphs on Saturday. The professor steps up to see my work. “Well, well, well, Ms. Noceda, it seems you’ve finally figured out how to…” but he’s cut off by a scream, and I instantly know something is wrong. I look back at my abomination, and it is crying a blood-curdling warcry.

“Abomination! Cower!” I yell at it, but it doesn’t seem to respond. I see Amity beside me try to produce a spell circle, but I watch as the abomination’s fist swings wide and knocks Amity across the room. I have flashbacks to my dream from just yesterday, and my eyes harden with a fury I did not know I possessed. I pull out my prepared glyphs and spring into action, throwing down three ice glyphs. Two speared the abomination through the chest, the third launching me into the air. I fling two plant glyphs at it as it attempts to melt around the ice pillars, the plants coating its torso in a tight vest. I land on its head, pulling out two fire glyphs and slapping them together before plunging my hands into the creature’s head. I jump and slide down one of the ice pillars as its head is engulfed in flames. I turn around as I get to the bottom of the pillar, turning to see the slime scream a final time before the slime loses its form, dropping to the ground.

I pant hard for a second before remembering. Amity! I sprint over to where she fell; most other students in the class are still too shocked to react to what had just happened. I kneel before Amity just as she’s sitting up, groaning and holding the back of her head. “Amity, are you ok?” I gasp, looking her over to see if there are any apparent wounds.

She quickly sucks in air through her teeth, feeling the back of her head. “Just a little headache, nothing major, I think.” I turn her head to inspect, and thankfully I don’t see any blood. I still pull out my pad and draw some quick healing glyphs, pressing one to the back on her head. As soon as I tap it, I see relief visibly spread across her face, a weak smile forming. “Thanks, that’s a lot better.” She says as the professor finally walks over.

“Ms. Noceda, I don’t know what you attempted, but I recommend you continue letting Ms. Blight help you with raising your abominations from now on.” I nod apologetically. “And please, if you could help Ms. Blight to the healer’s office, that would be appreciated.” I nod again, offering my hand to Amity. She smiles softly, accepting my hand. I walk her to the healer’s office, supporting her even though both of us know she isn’t hurt that badly.

***

Amity is looked over once we get to the healer’s office. She doesn’t have anything more than a few minor bumps and scrapes, especially after the quick healing glyph I did earlier. The healer says Amity will be fine, but she still recommends staying here for the rest of the day, just in case. Amity nods, accepting this, and lays back on her bed. I fidget for a second, standing next to her bed, trying to decide what to do next. She seems to notice my unease as she smirks, looking over at me. “What’s on your mind?”

“I mean I want to stay with you because I was the one that caused you to get hurt and I don’t want you to get lonely here, but also I should probably go to class, but also it’s just spelling and dueling, and I’m already doing fine in those classes so it wouldn’t be the worst to skip a single day and ALSO…” But I get cut off by the heavenly sound of Amity laughing.

She smiles up at me after calming down. “You certainly don’t have to stay with me, Luz. I’ve already forgiven you, and it’s not like I’m going to be here for days, just a couple more hours. Your classes are important, and I wouldn’t want to take you away from them.” A slight blush creeps onto her face while deciding what to say next. “Of course, I wouldn’t say no if you did want to stay. I never get tired of your company.” She almost whispers the last part, smiling shyly at the floor.

Making my decision, I pull over a chair and sit down right next to her bed. “I’m gonna make you regret those words, Amity Blight.” That beautiful twinkling laugh again.

“I’d like to see you try Noceda.” She grins at me, the teasing… flirting?  _ No. Amity would never flirt with me.  _ Whatever it was, it made me feel a little better. And I know she said I was forgiven, but I just couldn’t let it go.

The smile drops from my face, and Amity notices, reaching a hand out, asking what was wrong. I sigh, closing my eyes for a moment to gather my thoughts. I look up at her, and I can see the worry in her eyes. I hate making her worry about me. I hesitate, thinking about just brushing it off again. But I know that would only make her worry more. “Do you remember the dream I mentioned yesterday?” She nods, and I look down at my hands, fidgeting with nervous energy. “Well, in the dream, we were fighting the elemental creature again. But this time, instead of me being hurt, you were. And…” My breath hitches and the next words are hard. I can feel prickles at the corner of my eyes. “And it was bad. Not like me. You were able to heal me up quickly with some glyphs. But you. You were…” I pause, trying to think of a way to properly communicate, still trying to hold back tears. “Just. So bad. And I tried drawing healing glyphs, but they kept fizzling. And so I took you. I picked you up, and I ran. I ran to the Owl House. But before we could get there. You. You…” The tears are streaming now, and I can’t choke out the final part. I feel Amity’s hands take my cheeks. I look at her, and instead of worry, I see compassion, empathy. Of course, she understands. She probably thought something similar might happen to me when I hit that tree.

She smiles at me reassuringly before speaking. “It didn’t happen. It was just a dream. I’m still here.” And to prove it, she initiates a hug, pulling me into her to show me that yes, she is still here. I cry into her shoulder a little, but her touch grounds me. I take a few moments to collect myself, then pull back but stay closer to her, clasping one of her hands with one of mine.

I swipe at my nose with a nearby tissue before continuing. “I know you are. But when I saw my abomination hit you today in class, that dream just punched itself directly to the front of my brain. All the worry I’d been trying to push away came back. I was so worried, and I felt so guilty because this is now the second time one of my hair-brained glyphs has caused problems for you, has hurt you. And this time, it physically hurt you! I know you said you forgave me, but I just feel like everything I’ve been doing magically recently has only hurt you. And that’s the last thing I want to do. I care too much about you…” I trail off before realizing what I said, my cheeks breaking out in a deep flush. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself, again, then look up at Amity.

She’s looking at me with an understanding and fond smile, then starts to speak. “Luz. This is the Boiling Isles. The amount of scrapes and bruises and breaks we get is in the 100s per day. I know humans are…” She pauses, considering her words. “Less robust than witches, so I understand where you’re coming from with this. I mean, you saw how distraught I was when you got hurt because I was worried that it had been too much. But really. I’ve been thrown across rooms harder than that as an infant. It hurts, yes, but we have healers for a reason.” She grasps both of my hands in hers now, her eyes becoming more intense. “You’re doing something no one has done in hundreds of years. You’re resurrecting a system of magic that was basically extinct before you showed up. I’m so in awe of your ability to persist and push and discover, and I would never want a few scrapes to dissuade you from pursuing this thing that makes you so happy.” She gives my hands a squeeze for emphasis. “I have no problem with you being more careful, and I would even recommend you being more careful for yourself more than for me. I just hope your creativity and drive are never snuffed out by something as minor as a head wound.” She smiles at me in the most reassuring way she knows how to allow me the time to respond.

I sit there for a moment. A minute. A couple of minutes. It was a lot to process. It was so… unusual, in my life, to have someone care so much more about me and my interests than in their own interests, much less their own health! I know what Amity said was true, witches are more durable than humans, that’s just a fact. But just because she couldn’t get hurt as easily doesn’t mean she can’t be hurt at all. Grugby proved that. And again, people don’t DO this for me. People don’t go out of their way to help me, not Luz Noceda, resident weirdo. But I think back. I think back to my weeks here, to Gus and Willow, to Amity and Eda, to all the times the people here have helped me for seemingly no personal gain. Maybe. Maybe I can accept help. Maybe I can accept that other people want to help me just as much as I want to help them. Hmm.

After what feels like an uncomfortably long silence, I finally speak up. “Thanks. Amity. That really does mean a lot to me. I absolutely promise to be more careful for both of us, and I’ll never let my curiosity die. I’m…” I pause for a second, drawing my lips into a tense line, deciding whether or not I wanted to say this. I almost say it. I almost share, but I can’t burden her with anything else today. Not after everything, I’d put her through already. I smile warmly at her, doing my best to hide what I was about to say. “I’m just really happy to have you as a friend, Amity.” I swear for just a moment, I see a look of hurt cross her eyes, but it’s gone so fast I can’t be sure if it was real or not. There’s a tense atmosphere between us as if we both have more we want to say. We end up changing topics to talking about classes and Azura and whatever else for the next couple of hours.

***

Eventually, the final bell screams, and Amity and I go out front to meet Willow and Gus. I had almost forgotten, we’re having a study session at the Owl House today! Although I did miss the Dueling class. And I have all these new glyphs. And I haven’t fought Amity in a proper witch’s duel in AGES… Hmm.

We approach Gus and Willow, waving at them as we do. Willow is the first to speak up. “Hey Amity, I heard what happened. How are you feeling?”

Amity rubs a hand on the back of her neck, smiling sheepishly. “I’m doin’ fine. A few healing glyphs and some healing magic, and I’m in tip-top shape again.” It was certainly nice to hear Amity say she feels ok.

We start walking towards the Owl House, discussing our days and homework loads, and about halfway there, I bring up the idea. “So, I was thinking. I missed the Dueling class, and we haven’t all had a proper witch’s duel before. How would everyone feel about a tournament?” I look around at my friends expectantly, a smile on my face.

Gus is entirely on board, Willow seems hesitant, but Amity speaks up. “I dunno Luz, we do have a lot of work to do.”

“Yea, yea, yea, but it’s all due on FRIDAY. Today’s MONDAY. That’s 3 whole days before it’s due! We can take one afternoon’s break!” I put on my best puppy dog eyes, looking at Amity pleadingly.

She sighs, a warm smile lighting up her face. “Alright, alright. You know I can’t say no to that face.” She smirks softly, punching my arm. I laugh, grabbing my arm as if wounded. We joke the rest of the way to the Owl House and promise that we’d have another study session later this week to make up for the lost time.

We make it to the house and put our bags inside, letting Eda know what’s happening. She gives a wave of acknowledgment from the kitchen, along with a half-hearted warning to “Be Safe.” We run back outside, and we all work together to make a large dueling ring. A ring in the ground, bushes lining the outside, and an illusory sensor system to detect outs. The rules are simple, two witches enter, and whoever touches the bushes first loses. We draw lots to determine who fights who. The first round is Gus versus Willow and Amity versus Me. Gus and Willow get into the ring while Amity and I cheer from the sideline.

Gus and Willow square off, and an illusion in the air counts down. ‘3… 2… 1… DUEL!’ and Gus instantly shoots out an illusion very similar to the one in the detention room, encircling Willow with dozens of Guses. They all start running in various directions, attempting to confuse Willow. Willow stays where she is, calm and collected. She takes in her surroundings, trying to track each Gus. She dodges a few swipes from some of the Guses while she thinks. She draws a quick circle, putting her hand to the ground, and vines shoot up in perfect timing, poofing every illusion Gus and throwing the real Gus into the air where he lands on a bush, the illusion in the air announcing ‘WINNER: WILLOW.’

Amity and I cheer for Willow, who walks over and helps Gus out of the bush, who is chuckling good-naturedly. “Well, I’ve always been more of a showman than a fighter. I figured this would happen no matter which of you I went up against. Great job, Willow.” She smiles and nods, returning his sentiment. “Besides, now I get to do the good stuff!” And with that, he heads to the opposite side of the ring, pulling up two rows of illusion Guses—one set wearing A shirts, the other wearing L shirts.

I smile at the illusions and look over at Amity. I notice she’s looking at me with a challenge on her face. “Well, Noceda. Looks like we’ll finally have a proper witch’s duel.”

I laugh confidently, a competitive smirk finding its way onto my face. “Looks like it, Blight. And we both know how much I’ve improved. I might just give you a run for your money this time.”

She smirks, gesturing towards the arena. “Well, I suppose there’s only one way to find out.”

We both step into the ring and square up at either end. An illusory countdown begins, and I tense up, trying to concoct a plan of attack in the few seconds I have. ‘3...2...1… DUEL!’ As the signal to start sounds, I burst into action, sprinting around the outside of the circle. I watch as Amity quickly summons an abomination, more massive than her old ones but not as big as the one from Covention. I smirk, pulling glyphs from my pouches and throwing down an ice glyph, creating a runway that I slide across to try and get around the abomination. Just before I can adequately get in position, Amity’s abomination hurls itself onto the ice in an attempt to trip me or trap me. I jump, using an air glyph to propel myself over Amity, and land a little unsteadily.

In the time it takes me to regain my balance Amity has already resummoned a new abomination in front of me. I slap a lightning glyph between my hands, blasting through the abominations chest and making it splatter. Amity draws a quick circle, and the various splatters all form into many small abominations. These smaller abominations are much faster than the larger one and are quickly on me while I reach for more glyphs. I pull out several fire glyphs and burn up a few of the small abominations. They soon start to overwhelm me, knocking me over. I reach for more glyphs but notice my pouches are empty. I see a few of the abominations running back to Amity, glyphs in hand. I grimace as the abominations around my lower body start coalescing at a command from Amity. They form up into the large abomination from before holding me tightly in its grasp. It starts walking towards the edge of the arena, and I pull out my last-ditch card. I twist my body so I can reach into the pocket at the bottom of my jeans, pulling out a hidden wind glyph, and pull it into the grip of the abomination. I activate it, and a bubble of air expands, breaking the abominations grip but sending me flying. I land safely in bushes as the arena blares, and the Guses cheer, ‘WINNER: AMITY.’

Before I can even attempt to get up on my own, I see Amity already there, offering me a hand. I gladly accept it, being pulled to my feet as my excitement blossoms. Of course, I’m a little sad about losing, but that was so much fun! “Amity! That was so cool! I didn’t know you could control so many abominations at once! And the quick thinking when I was on the ice, removing my glyphs. You were so awesome! You definitely deserve to have won this!” I grin widely, noticing Amity’s cheeks flaring at the praise.  _ Amity’s so unused to praise. She deserves better. She deserves to know how great she is. _ And with that, I wrap her in a tight hug. She laughs weakly, muttering out thanks before hugging me back. We break away after a few seconds, Gus and Willow, having also come over to congratulate Amity and praise me for my improvement.

We take a small break, heading inside to get some snacks from Eda. While we’re eating, I have an idea. “Hey, Gus. We’re doing the losers bracket, right? Clearly, we’re not as good at fighting as these other two powerhouses. I had an idea for a different sort of competition.” Gus raises an eyebrow expectantly, his eyes sparkling with interest. “What about instead of fighting, we have a talent show of sorts. Set up illusory displays, see who can get the biggest Wow factor from the judges.” His eyes light up the more I describe it. “I’ll bring the razzle…”

“And I’ll bring the dazzle!” We both laugh, seeming in agreement. I think for a moment before calling out.

“Hey, Eda! Would you be willing to be a judge for our third round?”

Eda pokes her head out of the kitchen. “Sure, why not. I’m not doing anything.” The sound of screaming vegetables says otherwise, but I’m just happy she’s coming out to help.

And with our snacks finished, we head outside, Gus and I already preparing for the next round.

Gus allows me to go first, as all of my tricks will require physical setup as I draw up and lay out many glyphs covering the front yard. I’ve recently found a technique to activate multiple glyphs at once or in a chain. I know my show would definitely involve lots of those. I remember back to the Fourth of July weekends back home, all the beautiful fireworks displays that would appear all over the city. I haven’t seen anything like that on the Isles, so I figure it would be a fun new experience for everyone.

As I finish setting up the glyphs, I quickly scroll through my phone, looking for the song I know I want to use during this light show. I scroll through the soundtrack for the Azura movies and find the music for the climactic battle between Azura and Hecate at the end of the fourth movie. The fight that would make them both realize that they could be more than just bitter rivals. I place my phone on the ground as the intro plays—a low rumbling of bass, a quiet build-up. I picture the scene, Azura and Hecate standing off against each other, sizing each other up before battle. Just as the song breaks into frantic motion, I started tapping glyphs with my foot while dancing, dodging the resulting sprays of spellcraft as if I’m fighting an invisible enemy. The spells fly up past me, exploding into chunks, spraying safely away from the group. Pieces of rock, water, ice, light, and wind. As the song speeds up, so do I, my motions becoming more frantic as I set off more and more glyphs, infusing my wants into the paper. By the end of the song, rows of fireworks are setting off in sync, cascading, and creating a beautiful tapestry of light and sound in the sky. And as the song comes to a final crescendo, I dance onto the last line, a line of earth glyphs which shoot me into the air, and a single illusion glyph. The glyph lights up a blue figure, revealing my opponent to be Amity, panting just as hard as I am from my dance, but a soft accepting smile on both of our faces.

As the song ends, I look down, dispelling the various elements of the display, rubbing the back of my neck as I hear the four below cheering for me. I carefully slide down the rock surface, then make sure to tap some extra glyphs to undo my transformations. I walk over to the group, smiling at their enthusiasm. Well, most of them, Amity just seems in shock. “Alright, Gus, your turn!” I say with a smile at the illusionist, before plopping down next to Amity. 

She blushes as I do;  _ I’m too close _ . I start to move away, but she puts a hand on my shoulder to stop me. “Was that. You’ve told me about movies. Was that a part of the Azura movie?”

I chuckle, nodding my head in confirmation. “Yea that was played during the big confrontation between Azura and Hecate at the end of Azura 4. I’ll really have to find a way for you to watch the Azura movies sometime.” Amity looks like she was about to say more, but Gus clears his throat, drawing our attention to him.

“And now. The Dance of the Fairies.” And Gus was off, using his illusions for everything. From music to throwing his voice to the images. I know Gus is strong, he’d skipped two years, but this is something else entirely. It’s almost like Gus is a one-man theater troupe, telling an intricate story of love, war, strife, and peril. A battle between two fairy families, very similar to Romeo and Juliet actually, but a lot more bloody. I give a small smile thinking back to my audition. This seems like a play I can get behind. The whole thing is set to music that Gus produces on the fly. It’s no contest; by the end of the show, there wasn’t a dry eye on the lawn, even Eda let a few tears go. It’s unanimous, Gus wins the round.

I run over, scooping him up in a hug. “Gus, that was amazing! Congratulations!”

He laughed sheepishly, looking up at me with knowing eyes. “Yeah, Luz, thanks. For everything.”

I nod and put him down. “Well then,” I say as I turn around, looking at my remaining two friends. “It sounds like it’s time for the main event.”

Willow and Amity look at each other, the smiles on their faces instantly turning competitive. Gus and I do a quick sweep of the arena to make sure it’s level before heading out. Amity and Willow stand on either side of the arena, looking intensely at each other. Their looks aren’t of malice but of friendly competition. Before the countdown starts, I turn to Eda. “You can go back inside if you want, I know you have more work to do.”

Eda thinks for a moment, looking over the two witchlings in front of her. “Nah. I think this is going to be fun to watch.” She says with a wry grin.

I nod in agreement before turning back. The illusory countdown begins. ‘3..2...1… DUEL!’ and both witches spring into action immediately.

Amity summons not one, but two abominations immediately, sending them in Willow’s direction. Willow quickly calls a ring of vines, reminiscent of the vines she had summoned when I first met her. But where those were wild and out of control due to her anger, these are precise and concentrated. They follow her as she moves, almost like they are an extension of herself. She strikes at the incoming abominations, slicing them to pieces with her vines. Amity quickly recreates the various abominations, trying the same swarm strategy she tried on me. Willow pushes through easily. Amity actually tries to run, but one of Willow’s vines smacks her, sending her up in the air. Amity does a quick spell circle, an abomination hand catching her before she hits the bushes. Amity walks down the arm, drawing circle after circle, fireballs launching at Willow’s shields. She creates enough of a hole to allow some of her abominations through. They swarm under Willow, pulling her up into the air and attempting to throw her into the bushes. Willow calls her vines, having them pull her out of the abominations grip. Now suspended by her vines, Willow starts drawing circles, making vines sprout seemingly at random and shoot at Amity, who attempts to dodge around them. She gets hit by a few, getting knocked further and further back. On the defensive now, Amity drops her other abominations. She then summons a single large one in front of her as a shield. With it, she slowly moves forward, holding back Willow’s assault. Willow sees the change in strategy and attempts to outmaneuver Amity, using her vines to move her around the circle. Seeing Willow moving, Amity gives a silent command to her abomination, who quickly removes and tosses its head in Willow’s direction. Willow takes the impact full force, almost flying from her vines. She uses the momentum of the hit to swing her around and get in behind Amity. She touches down just as Amity is turning around, and Willow’s hand is on the ground. A massive spring-flower burst beneath Amity. Just before she’s flung, Willow grabs her wrists, vines appearing, and wrapping Amity’s two hands tightly together. Amity desperately tries to get out of her bindings to save herself, but just as her hands break free, she lands in a bush. And the illusion blares. ‘WINNER: WILLOW!’

Gus and I run up to Willow, wrapping her in a tight group hug. “WILLOW! THAT WAS AMAZING!” I practically shout in her ear, Gus chattering on about how cool that was. Willow laughs softly, almost blushing at all the compliments.

As we finally let her go and step back, we see Amity walk up, a genuine smile on her face. Not anger, or frustration, or hurt. A smile of respect. “Willow. That really was amazing. You’ve really…” She pauses, pursing her lips at what she was about to say. “You’ve always been a powerful witch. I’m sorry it took me this long to see it.”

Willow studies her for a second before a small smile breaks out on her face. She wraps Amity in a light hug, and I hear her whisper something, but I can’t tell what. Amity just smiles happily, returning the hug.

We all start walking inside, and I look around at all my friends. ALL my FRIENDS. Back in the human world, I had no one: just me and my mom. And now look at me, surrounded by people I love.  _ Gus, his enthusiasm for the human world, matching my hunger for magic. And he’s so smart and talented, he’s genuinely a prodigy in his field. Willow, the raw power of her magic, is astounding, and she controls it so well. Meanwhile, she’s such a kind and caring person, despite what she’s been through. And Amity. Oh gosh, Amity. The prettiest, smartest, most talented witch I’ve met. Her magic is precise, exacting, unique, innovative. Just being able to be around her makes any day better. Is this. What having real friends is like? People that appreciate you for your strengths, but would never leave because of your weaknesses? People that care about you and enjoy spending time with you and are always there for you when you need them. _ A warm hope is blossoming in my chest, an understanding that maybe, just maybe, I’ve finally found real friends. I smile warmly at the group as we sit around the living room table, working on our assignments, and joking with each other. It feels warm, safe, happy. Like a home I never knew I needed.

***

**_With Eda…_ **

I sit in the kitchen, drinking a mug of apple blood, watching the kids joking around in the living room. I smile, happy that they had found each other—my scroll buzzes.

**Emira[5:47 PM]: So you want us to do HOW many illusions?**

**Edric[5:48 PM]: We’re good, but even that seems like a lot.**

**Eda[5:50 PM]: Look, just practice with what you can now, I have a solution for the numbers problem. Did either of you get the book yet?**

**Emira[5:51 PM]: Not yet. Mittens only has up to 5 in the hideout.**

**Edric[5:52 PM]: We think she’s been reading it with Luz, though, I’m sure she has a copy.**

**Eda[5:53 PM]: Alright, I’ll see what I can do. You two been practicing with the material I sent you?**

**Emira[5:55 PM]: Yes, MOTHER.**

**Edric[5:56 PM]: Come on, we may be goof-offs, but so are you.**

**Eda[5:58 PM]: Alright, alright. We all know how much this will mean to them. You’ll understand if I’m a little overbearing, I want to get this perfect.**

I put the scroll down, happy that the plan is coming together. It’s coming together fairly quickly; it should be ready by this weekend.  _ Just a few more days, Luz. Hang in there, kid. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed that! Be prepared for the next chapter, it’s probably gonna be a short one, but it’s gonna kick off some ANGST. 
> 
> Also I am still open to more beta editors if anyone is interested, hit me up @Maxrimus on twitter!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated. Love to you all <3


	4. Classes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz impresses in class, Amity has a bad night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 200 Kudos! Ya’ll are just incredible. I never thought a month ago when I started this little project that I’d ever get this much support. This fic, and my owltober fics, have become a really important grounding force for me over the past month, and I’m really glad that everyone seems to be enjoying it just as much as me. Thanks again for all the comments, the kudos, the bookmarks, they all mean so much to me :)
> 
> Once again, thanks to my first beta reader for working with me on this chapter, and welcome to my new beta reader RainbowBuddy! So excited to work with them and so thankful that they’re willing to work with me :D
> 
> So not a lot of specific notes in this chapter, kind of a slow one to do some building for future chapters. But! We do get the angst started good and proper at the end. Enjoy ;)

I trudge through the secret hideout, rubbing at my eyes to try and clear my thoughts. Tuesdays are always a hard morning. While I love Beast Keeping, and it’s still great to see Viney, it’s definitely the most physically strenuous of the tracks. And Illusions, oh boy Illusions. Every Tuesday, I get another pounding headache trying to decipher the intricacies of Illusions. Illusions are just the most viscerally confusing class I have.

I sigh, stepping out into the hallway near the lunchroom. I wait a few moments then look to the side and right on time, as always, I see Amity turn a corner. Instantly the stress of the morning leaves me, my mouth grinning wide as I excitedly wave at her. She smiles her small smile back, and a warmth spreads through my chest.  _ I really need to get this crush under control. It’s going to be really embarrassing if Amity ever notices.  _ I quickly start talking once Amity’s close enough to distract myself. “How was your morning?”

“Oh, the usual. Several hours of Abominations.” The tiniest hint of a blush dusting her cheeks. “Never quite as fun without you there, but at least I was able to take proper notes today.” She laughs quietly, just a short chuckle, and my mind works to process the statement. Before I can respond, she speaks up. “How was your morning? Illusions still giving you trouble?”

I shake my head slightly, resetting my mind to talk again. “Yea, I really thought finally doing an illusion might actually make it work for me, but the theory is still so confusing. I’m thinking about asking Gus for some tutoring.” Amity nods at this as we arrive at our usual table. I wave to Willow and Gus as we sit. “Hey guys, how was your morning?”

And we fall into our regular lunchtime routine. Gus and I do most of the talking, Amity and Willow occasionally interjecting when they have something to say. It’s only the second or third week of Amity sitting with us at lunch, but it already feels familiar, warm. Sitting at a lunch table with real friends, talking about your days and swapping stories and making jokes and laughing, and just being happy to be in each other’s presence. This isn’t something I had ever experienced in the human world. When I first started at Hexside, I was tentative to sit with Willow and Gus. I knew I wanted to sit with them, but I wasn’t sure if they wanted me to. I’d still been suffering under the burden of assumption. Assumption and the same thoughts of inadequacy and anxiety that are stopping me from…  _ Not thinking about that right now. _ But they readily invited me, waving me over from across the lunchroom. While I still struggle most days to remember that I don’t have to agonize over every dumb thing I do, the times when I do remember are some of the warmest moments in my life. Moments of pure joy, pure companionship, pure bliss as I remember as if for the first time that I have friends. Friends that like me for who I am.

After we’d finished catching up and eating, I turn to Gus. “Oh right, Gus, I know we both have a free period after lunch; I was hoping if you weren’t busy, we could study together? I’m still really struggling with Illusion theory, and I was hoping you might be willing to tutor me? Again if you aren’t busy with anything else, or if you have the time. Whatever works best for you.” I ask sheepishly, not wanting to overstep.

But Gus smiles brightly, seemingly honored that I’m asking him to tutor me. “Of course, Luz! Today’s lecture was a tough one; I’d be happy to go over some more of the theory with you!” And so we agree. We finish our lunch, and then Gus and I seek out one of the many training rooms scattered throughout the school, figuring we might need some space to work.

***

We spend the first half of the period studying, Gus going over some of the basics of where illusions come from and how they work. Illusions are much more substantive on the Boiling Isles than my fantasy books had always led me to believe. They can affect real change. Like when an Illusion track student couldn’t breathe after removing their mouth and nose, or when Ed and Em held the slither beast back with illusory whips. But they are still essentially incorporeal, not made of anything precisely real, but more formed of belief from the caster. Witch’s got their magic from their bile sacs, but despite what Eda had said, there was some form of belief or intent when it came to spellcasting as well. As Luz had figured out, witches were able to do magic with glyphs long before they had evolved bile sacs. It was the Titan’s magic and the inherent magic of the island that had fueled those glyphs. Now that magic flows directly in witch’s veins, they have to supply their own belief to their creations.

Listening to the history of Illusions is fascinating, to be sure, and Gus is attentive and explains things well. When he mentions the glyphs, I finally bring up that I’ve figured out illusion glyphs. At this point, we drop all the academics because Gus has to see glyph illusions. And so for the last half of the study period, that’s what we do, working with my glyphs to do some experimentation to see how they differ from regular illusions.

We discover quite a few differences. First, and most obviously, my illusions don’t have the same body to them that Gus’s do. Gus can create an Illusion of a pencil that he can hold and write with. Any illusion I make seems to be much closer to what I expected illusions to be, entirely illusory. Trying to grab my illusion puts my hand right through it, although it doesn’t dispel it instead merely disrupting it for a moment. I have to tear the paper or smudge the glyph to dispel the illusions. After that, we discover that my illusions are much more static. Where Gus can create a whole other Gus that he can give instructions to, I try to create an illusion of myself and it just stands there perfectly still. Trying again but thinking of a command, I can create an illusion of me that walked in a small circle, but I cannot give it further instruction. I hadn’t even realized I’d given the illusion Amity I had made instructions yesterday, I was so focused and in the moment it had come naturally. Interestingly though, as I’d discovered on Saturday with my ears, any illusions I put on myself do conform to my facial features as if real.

Just as we are trying to set up some sort of larger illusory display, the end of period bell screams, and we have to hurry to Illusion Lab. Hopefully, our discoveries will bear some fruit. “Hey Gus, thanks for all the help. I really appreciate you taking the time out to help me.”

He smiles widely at me. “Of course, Luz. You’re one of my best friends. I’m always happy to help you out!”

A warmth fills my chest at the statement, reinforcing the moment from earlier in the lunchroom. I tuck that moment away in my mind, trying to remember it as best I can. It’s another one of those moments I save, moments that I use to remind myself that people really do like me here. I smile as we walk into the Illusion Lab, excited to see what today’s exercises will be.

***

I line up with the other Illusion track students, noticing the apparent emptiness of the room. Usually, the Illusion lab is like a giant obstacle course, full of all kinds of puzzles to solve with illusions in creative and exciting ways. Today it’s just the empty room. This should certainly be an exciting class.

The Illusion teacher walks in, greeting the students in the friendly way she usually does before announcing today’s assignment. “Today, we will be working on social Illusions. Masks to wear when you may need them, minor alterations and distractions to enhance your charisma in a conversation. I’m going to present each of you with a potentially problematic situation. I want you to use your illusions to make a small change to yourself to help you get out of the situation.” I’m shocked, not only do I now have illusions, but they work for exactly what our assignment is!

I eagerly await my turn, watching the other students to see what illusions they made. One is attempting to flirt with a romantic interest. They subtly increase the appeal of their face; slightly longer lashes, slightly bigger eyes, marginally whiter teeth. Another is backed into a corner by a dangerous beast. They made themselves more intimidating, extending their fangs, slightly increasing their height, buffing their musculature, making their hair wilder. They finish the task by making a few minor popping noises reminiscent of the guns from cop shows. The teacher gives Gus the task to haggle a price with a merchant. He takes the tact to make himself look poor and meek; slightly rattier clothes, a famished hollow to his cheeks, dark circles under his eyes. The work is impressive, and the fake limp pulls it all together to make a stunning performance.

And then it’s my turn. “Alright, Ms. Noceda, I need you to fit in at a high society party. The richest of the rich, the most influential people on the Isles. There’s even a rumor that Emperor Belos himself is in attendance.” I put my hand on my chin, thinking for a minute. The teacher goes to motion to Gus, but I stop her.   
  
“Oh! No need for Gus’s help today. I’ve finally figured out some basic Illusion glyphs!” The teacher raises an eyebrow, seemingly skeptical, but allows me to continue. I scribble out the glyph, imagining the image I want to project. I tap it and the image instantly blossoms, clinging to my body. Of course, I make sure to give myself pointed witch ears as high society types would never associate with a human. I make my face more sharp and angular to appear more intimidating and cold. I make my uniform perfectly spotless, and I make my hair into a perfectly lady-like bun. As a final touch, I give a polite curtsy as I’d seen on my mother’s telenovelas.

When I look up, I can see that the Illusion teacher was surprised but impressed. “Well, well, well, Ms. Noceda, I must say I am impressed with your skills, your own skills for once. This is a very convincing Illusion. Full marks! Well done.” I beam brightly as she moves on to the next student. I look over at Gus, who gives me two big thumbs up. It feels fantastic to be doing something right in the Illusions Lab, finally.

***

I always love the healing class. Of course, my mother being a nurse, always gave me an interest in medicine, but even above all that I just love learning about witch anatomy. It’s similar but so unique at the same time; it’s always fun to learn new things about how witches differ from humans. Today we’re discussing involuntary reactions. Apparently, witches have many animalistic type reactions that humans don’t, a whole range of barks, growls, and… purrs? My eyes widen as I see the word on the board. ‘ _ Witches purr when they feel especially happy or content, although it is felt by many to be an immature reaction and should be stifled as an adult. _ ’ I don’t know why anyone would stifle such an adorable reaction. I’ve never heard any of my friends purr, but I know exactly whose purr I want to hear.

Our lab is easy enough for me. As I can’t do much healing magic, my contributions are usually limited to carrying supplies or doing traditional tasks like cleaning or bandaging. It is certainly similar to the first aid my mother taught me. Again, it’s all slightly different to deal with witches' unique physiology. Today though, I want to try out my new glyphs, so I find the teacher and talk to him about it. “Uh, hi, I just wanted to know if I could maybe help with some of the actual healing today? I found some healing glyphs over the weekend, and they’re not comparable to any of the advanced spells. They should at least be able to help with the minor cuts and bruises, and I know for a fact that they’re effective for headaches as well.”

The nurse turns to me skeptically, eyeing the glyph I was proffering. “Another pair of hands is always appreciated, especially now that Grugby season has started, but this is unknown magic to me. Before I allow you to use it on any of my patients, I’m going to need proof that it can work as you say.”

I nod, understanding his skepticism. I think for a second, then remember I still have some bruises on my arms from the fight with Amity yesterday. I roll up my sleeves, showing off the bruises. He nods to go on, and I place the glyph on the bruise, tapping it. It glows with a familiar soft blue light, and upon dissolving, the bruise is gone. He nods again, seemingly impressed. “Very well. It appears you have finally learned some healing magic. Let’s see.” He looks around the room, presumably looking to pair me with another student. “Ah, why don’t you work with Viney? She’s always happy to have an extra set of hands and can surely help you figure out the intricacies of this new magic.”

I nod, giving him my thanks before rushing over to Viney. Viney turns at my footsteps, a cheeky smile on her face as I run up to her. “What’s got you all excited?”

I show her the glyphs I made last night to prepare for today’s class. “I found healing magic over the weekend! The nurse approved me to use it during class, but he wanted me to do it under your supervision. It’s just basic magic, should be helpful with cuts and bruises and general pain, nothing too advanced. He said you might be able to help me figure out the intricacies of how it worked?”

Viney nods, looking over the glyphs. “That makes sense. Well, let’s see what we can do.”

And we spend the remainder of class working on injuries: some Grugby injuries, some burns from a potions class, some lacerations from the plant homeroom. We find out that the glyph I have is basic and can heal most direct non-magical injuries; cuts, scrapes, bruises, pain. But trying it on something more complex or magical; the burn caused by a potion, a disfigurement from an illusion gone wrong, or anything that involves broken bones, is beyond my capabilities. It feels terrific to be useful in healing class, and I think I am starting to understand why my mom became a nurse. Seeing all these people in pain and helping them to lessen it, it’s really satisfying to be able to help people.

At the end of class, Viney and I report our findings to the nurse who thanks me for my help, and the pride of earlier comes rushing back. This book is giving me a whole new lease on classes, the ability to appropriately participate and help and do all kinds of magic all on my own. It is such a thrill.  _ I really need to thank Amity for getting me that book properly. _ I leave class, going to the front of the school to find the girl.

***

I arrive at the front of Hexside and wait for Amity. I greet some classmates as they leave, noticing Viney and Emira conspicuously leaving together. Right on time, as usual, Amity comes out of the building, smiling warmly as she sees me. She’s usually one of the last ones out. She usually stays behind to help the professor clean up the advanced abomination lab for extra credit. We start walking off-campus, chatting about our days. We both had good ones, Amity, of course, being the brilliant top student she is, and she was proud of me for doing so well in my classes.

“Well, it was all thanks to the book you got me, ya know.” I tease her.

“Sure, I may have bought it but you’re the one that’s able to do all this magic. You’re rediscovering ancient magic all on your own! Even if you have research, you’re still able to make it your own, ya know?” She says, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.  _ Gosh she’s cute. _ “You’re so determined, you would have figured it all out on your own anyway. I’m just happy to give you an extra boost.”

I feel my smile grow even wider as I stop her, squeezing her tightly into a hug. “Well thank you anyway. I know you say it’s nothing, but it really means a lot to me that you thought to get something like that for me. It means a lot to me that you know me so well.” I pull back, and the blush spreads farther onto her face.  _ Oops, too much. _ I quickly take my hands off her shoulders, thinking for a split second I see disappointment flash through her eyes.

She just smiles at me after a second, nodding. “Of course, Luz. You’ve done so much for me, I’m always happy to help you out in return any way I can.”

We continue walking, in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company. After a time, I remember what I heard about in healing class, turning excitedly to Amity. “Amity! Wait! I heard something in healing class today.” Amity looks at me quizzically, curious about what I can be so excited about from the healing class. My eyes only shine brighter as I ask the question. “Do witches really purr? Do… Do you purr?” Amity’s eyes widen, the blush now overtaking her whole face.  _ No, no, ok, definitely too far. _ I start to backpedal. “No, sorry that. That was probably too personal…”

She puts a hand tentatively on my shoulder, stopping me mid-thought. She seems to calm down. “No Luz.” She clears her throat. “No, it’s ok to ask. Yes, witches purr, but it’s usually a rather…” She struggles for the right word for a second. “Intimate expression. It’s not really something that you can control, and it rarely happens out in public. And even if it did.” She grimaces. “I was always told it was ‘Improper’ and ‘Immature’” She uses air quotes for emphasis. “So I’ve always… suppressed my purrs. Even if I wanted to, I don’t know if I even can anymore.” A small blush stays on her face for the entirety of the story.  _ This must be very personal for her. I’m glad she shared it with me, but I hope she knows she doesn’t have to be embarrassed around me. _

I nod, thinking for a second on how to respond. “Well. That’s good to know.” I bite my lip, considering my next words carefully. “ I’m sorry your parents seem so horrible Amity. Every time you tell me more about them, they seem worse and worse. I hope you know that you can always be yourself around me, whoever that person is.” I take her hand in both of mine. “You’re…” I pause, swallowing. “You’re really important to me, Amity, and I would never judge you for who you are.”

Amity smiles that small smile of hers, my favorite smile. I can see tears forming at the corners of her eyes, and she throws her arms around me. I quickly reciprocate, trying to comfort her. “Thank you Luz. That, really does mean a lot for me to hear. My parents can be a lot sometimes, and as much as I know the twins love me, they’re also teasing me constantly. It’s good to know I have someone to come to with…” She pauses for a moment. “These sorts of things.”

We eventually break apart and continue home. We don’t drop the hands of each other until we have to part. I try not to think about the implications of that, much like I haven’t thought about the consequences of much recently, I just enjoy the moment, this moment of peaceful bliss, as Amity and I walk through the beautiful woods of the Isles.

***

It’s late. I spend most of the night doing homework or texting Amity, and I’m exhausted. Amity has been silent for an hour or two, and I hope she is ok, but the mental drain of my studies is pushing me to just lie down and sleep. I flop down onto my bed, and just as I’m about to drift off, I hear a buzzing. I pick up my scroll to see who it is, and I see that it’s Amity. It’s late, but Amity had called me late on Sunday when she needed me. I pick up. 

“Amity?” I instantly know something’s wrong. I hear sniffling, and I can just picture Amity curling up in bed, crying after some horrible confrontation with her parents. “Amity what happened?” I instantly stand up, fatigue is entirely forgotten as I start to pace the room.

I have to wait a few seconds as I hear her trying to speak through the tears, but she eventually calms down enough to start talking. “I’ve never told anyone this. I don’t dye my hair of my own choice. My mother…” Another sob stops her momentarily. “My mother wants her children to be a matched set. So she makes me dye my hair. I’ve never particularly liked it, but it did remind me of Azura, so it was never the worst. But ever since I met you, Luz, I’ve had so many conflicted feelings. You love my hair, so I thought it was ok to keep if it meant you were happy. But you’ve also been breaking down my walls, proving that everything my parents told me wasn’t exactly how the world had to work. And tonight, at dinner, my mother pointed out that my roots were showing and I just.” Another pause, this time not a sob but a moment to gather herself. “I just broke. I said I didn’t want to dye it. I wanted to let it grow out; I didn’t want to be another puppet in the hollow play that is her life. And then she lost it. There was a lot of screaming. The twins tried to back me up, but my father removed them from the room, and I just.” Another sob. “They forced me into it. My hair’s now redyed, a perfect” her next words full of venom “Blight Green. And I just…”

I want to say something, to help my friend, to help this girl I cared about so deeply. But before she can even finish her story, I hear a slamming door and a raised male voice. “AMITY BLIGHT. WHO ARE YOU SPEAKING WITH AT THIS HOUR?” I hear a scream from Amity, an unintelligible sound of fear, and the voice continues. “IT’S NOT THAT LOATHSOME HUMAN AGAIN, IS IT?” I hear a brief struggle, some screams, and the line dies.

I stare at my scroll, unsure what to think. Should I go check on her? I mean, yes, of course, I want to go check on her. But Blight Manor is so far away. Maybe I could borrow Eda’s staff? I burst out of my room and run down the hall. Eda is surprisingly still awake as I practically fall into her bedroom. “Eda Eda Eda, I think Amity’s in a lot of trouble, and I think it’s my fault, and I really need to borrow Owlbert so I can go check on her, and…”

Eda puts a hand on my shoulder, stopping me mid-stream. “Kid, kid, kid, slow down. Amity’s in trouble? Start from the beginning, what happened?” And I explain the phone call, recounting the brief conversation and then the screams of who I can only assume to be her father, and then the line going dead. Eda listens through the story then nods thoughtfully, taking a few seconds to think before responding. “Well, kid, that definitely sounds bad; I won’t lie to ya. But if her father’s angry about you calling her, don’t you think running over there would only get her in more trouble?”

“But Eda, she was already crying. I just want to be sure she’s ok!”

Eda gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I know you do, kid, and I’m sure she knows that too. But we both know that right now, her parents, or at least her dad, are a little unstable, and we don’t want things to get worse right?” I nod cautiously, wanting to suggest an alternative, but Eda cuts me off. “You’ll see her tomorrow. Find her before or after school and talk to her then. And if you need to check on her, text one of the twins. I’m sure they’d be willing to make sure she’s ok.” I sigh, knowing Eda is right. She wraps me in a hug, rubbing small circles into my back to comfort me. “It’s going to be ok, Luz. Amity’s a strong girl. She can get through this, especially if you’re around to help her through it.” I hug Eda back, taking comfort in the embrace.

After a minute, we pull away, and Eda wipes away some tears from my cheeks I hadn’t even noticed had been spilling. “Thanks, Eda. I’ll text the twins.”

She stands, ruffling my hair. “Good. And then get to bed; you have school tomorrow!” I smile warmly at her, giving her another quick hug before walking back to my room. I send the twins a message, and they say they had heard the screaming and were already with Amity. They agree with Eda but promise to make sure Amity’s ok. I turn off my scroll and lay in bed, the exhaustion returning. I quickly slip away despite my troubled mind.

_ The sound of tears, a raised voice, the smack of a hand hitting something, or someone _

I blink, the image in front of me resolving. A tall, intimidating figure, amorphous but clearly representing Alador Blight. In his shadow, a child, smaller than I know her. The Amity from the memory, a tiny girl with brunette hair. Tears streaking down her face, a fresh red mark on her cheek. I run to her, run with everything I have, but she seems to only get further away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that’s this chapter! Next one’s pretty short but also REAL angsty, I’m officially at the point where I have a lot of things to explore with Luz, and there’s going to be a lot of good conversations coming up with all kinds of people. We’re really gettin into the meat now, can’t wait for you all to see Chapter 5, next monday!
> 
> Also yes I fully support the witches purr/have emotive ears headcanon but I didn’t know about that headcanon until after I started writing this so I’m trying to write around that by making them “socially unacceptable behavior”. Doesn’t explain why Eda doesn’t do it but like, I dunno, plotholes ya know?
> 
> And as always, I would be happy to have some more beta readers. DM me on twitter @Maxrimus and feel free to follow me for previews of upcoming chapters and announcements on when I post! Love to you all, comments and kudos are appreciated <3


	5. Doubts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz struggles with her insecurities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So fair warning this chapter is ANGSTY. This is probably what I would consider the lowest point of the story for Luz’s mental state, so be prepared for a lot of self-esteem issues and spiraling into negative thoughts. It’s not just angst! There is some good fluff and warm feelings in here, along with the start of some true healing for Luz. Next time will be even better(although still pretty angsty)!
> 
> Also thank you so much to everyone that got me to 300 kudos! It’s still so hard to believe that I’ve gotten so much support and I’m so so thankful for all of you and I’m just real glad people like My Stowy :)
> 
> Also, the song Luz plays about halfway through is Liability by Lorde, although it’s on guitar so I’ve been listening to this guitar cover by Sara King on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzoNc1qt-qE&feature=youtu.be
> 
> Once again thanks to both of my brilliant Beta Readers for all the feedback on this chapter! Anon and RainbowBuddy, you’re the reason this isn’t a trashfire of grammatical errors.

I get to school early, my worry from last night somehow even worse. Amity didn’t text me this morning, not like she’s required to or anything; it’s just unusual, I guess. So I’m here because I know Amity is always early. I look across the courtyard to our usual meeting spot, where Amity is usually doing next week’s homework on a bench. She’s not there. The worried knot in my chest tightens as I head into school. If she isn’t there, maybe she is in the Abominations homeroom? I almost sprint through the secret hideout, bursting out near the room and checking inside—still no Amity. I check everywhere I can think; the library, the plant homeroom, the illusions homeroom, her locker, but I can’t find her anywhere! 

My panic is really starting to get to me, and I turn another corner and almost run directly into someone. They barely move while I fall onto the floor. I am about to get up when I see a familiar green-sleeved hand reach down. “Oh! Willow, Hi. Sorry about that. Are you ok?” I ask, accepting the help up.

Willow looks at me critically, and I try to marshall my face into an unworried smile. Of course, this is Willow, the most perceptive friend I have, and she notices. “Luz, are you okay? You seem worried about something.” She looks around for a second, seemingly noticing something. “It’s about Amity, isn’t it? I haven’t seen her all morning, and if she’s not with you, I imagine something must be wrong.”

I gulp, my face instantly falling. “Yea, it’s about Amity. We were on the phone last night, and there was…” I pause, biting my bottom lip in worry. “An incident with her father. I haven’t heard from her since, and I haven’t seen her all morning either. I’m really worried about her.”

Willow pulls me into a tight hug, and the knot in my chest loosens just a bit. I hear her speaking quietly behind me. “Yea. Her parents can sure be…” She pauses, surely thinking about the scene we saw in her mind. “A lot. They always have been.” She pulls back, holding me at arm’s length. “But this is Amity, right? She’s a strong person. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Maybe she got grounded for a day or something; I’m sure things will be ok.” She gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “And it’s not like she’d be able to stay away from you for too long, Luz.” I’m somewhat confused by that statement but nod along anyway.

The first bell screams, and Willow gives me another quick hug before walking off. “It’ll be ok, Luz, just focus on classes. I’m sure Amity will get back to you soon, ok?”

I nod. “Thanks, Willow.” I feel a lot better and try to keep Amity out of my mind as I slip back into the secret room to head to Ethics.

***

I sit at my usual table in Ethics, pulling out my notebook. Right, magical hierarchy. I’m excited about this class! It sounds like it could be really interesting; learning about why witches have magic and learning about the different levels of demonic power(King would love to hear about that). I wonder if humans will come up. The second bell screams and the professor starts lecturing.

The first half of the class is interesting enough. We discuss the history of witches and how they first developed bile sacs, how demons can access lesser forms of magic through a more direct but weaker connection to the Titan; he illustrates all of this on the board with a literal hierarchy with witches at the top. And then he mentions the topic I’ve been most intrigued by—humans. To represent them, he draws them at the very bottom of the board, seemingly drawing them as dumb, even with little stink lines off of them. He starts lecturing about how humans are inferior creatures, too stupid to know that magic exists, much less how to use it. He goes off on some ridiculous tangent about how humans eat dirt because they think it looks like chocolate.

As he talks, I sink lower and lower into my seat as I feel the eyes of the rest of the students in the room flicker onto me. The teacher doesn’t seem to remember I am even here, continuing to lecture about how dumb and worthless humans are and how it isn’t even worth the effort to jinx them because they won’t even notice anything has changed. I hear some snickering from the back of the classroom, a snicker I know belongs to Boscha. 

I try to distract myself, altogether abandoning my notes at this point. I just want to get through this class. My mind wanders to Amity, to her parents, to that scene from Willow’s mind.  _ Is this how Amity’s parents see me? How… how Amity sees me? Some worthless being, less than a pet, some… Thing to be toyed with? Maybe that’s why she’s avoiding me, she’s finally realized how worthless I am, and she’s just being the wonderful nice person she is and is trying to let me down easy. Maybe her parents finally got through to her. Maybe…  _ My spiral continues, leading me deeper and deeper into a hole I don’t even notice I’m digging. I’m startled from my reverie by the scream of the bell, noting the end of class. I quickly gather my things and dashed from the room, hoping the rest of my morning won’t be so draining.

***

The rest of the morning wasn’t much better. Skara had Ethics and Bard 101 with me, and I could feel her staring at me through the entirety of Bard 101. And then Runic language, my worst general class. Despite being bilingual, something about Runic just refused to click with me a lot of the time. By the time I get to lunch, classes have entirely drained me, and I slump out of the secret entrance near the lunchroom. I look down the hallway, expecting Amity to see coming towards the cafeteria like usual when I remember I still haven’t seen her today.

I’m about to walk into the cafeteria by myself when I hear the history teacher yell down a hallway at some troublemaker. For some reason, my heart goes into overdrive, my palms start sweating, and I’m rooted to the spot. I start hyperventilating, and I’m not sure what to do when suddenly a strong hand falls on my shoulder. The touch breaks whatever had happened, and I look over to see Gus and Willow standing behind me.

I see them look at each me nervously before Willow speaks up. “Rough morning, Luz?”

I shake my head before nodding back, pursing my lips in thought, trying to decide how much to tell them. “Just um. Just, yea, Runes was a lot today.” I lie through my teeth, and I can tell Willow isn’t buying it.

We walk into the lunchroom together, finding our way to our usual table. We sit down, and the other two start talking while I stay silent through most of lunch. Willow notices this, of course, looking at me with concern.

She reaches across the table, putting a hand on my arm. “You know you can talk to us about anything, Luz. We’re your friends.” I feel a pang of… something, in my chest. I don’t know if it’s regret exactly, or fear, or anger.  _ My friends. Just like Amity said she’s my friend. Just like everyone back home said they were my friends. _

“No, Willow, it’s really nothing. Just a bad day, ya know?” I smile weakly and can tell she’s still unconvinced, but she thankfully drops the subject. Willow and Gus talk about classes and the upcoming Grudgby game. They try to include me, and I say a few things here and there but mostly stay quiet. I spend most of my lunch picking at my food, thinking about Amity, my two friends, my track record with relationships of any kind.  _ Even my mother sent me away to make me normal. _

It’s going to be a long afternoon.

***

I walk into Bard Lab, suddenly dreading the class. It’s as I’m walking into the classroom that I remember what our assignment is today. We’re supposed to bring a piece of music and perform it, any piece of music, so long as it portrays a specific emotion strongly. I had found a song that reminded me of my time with Amity on Saturday, but right now, it just doesn’t feel right to play it. Thankfully I don’t have to go up for a little bit, so I pull out my phone, scrolling through to find something more… appropriate for my current emotional state. I finally find something and quickly look up the music, doing my best to memorize what I can before it’s my turn.

“Ms. Noceda?” A call from the front of the snaps me out of my research. The teacher is looking at me expectantly. I grab my guitar and move up front. I situate myself, tuning my guitar quickly before taking a deep breath, and I start playing. The piece is played on a piano, but I can transpose it fairly easily. It starts slow, just a few notes, and then I start singing.

“Baby really hurt me, crying in a taxi…”

The emotions start welling within me as I sing, looking down at my shoes on the stool. I miss a few notes, but I gather myself, pushing forward.

“... We slow dance in the living room…”

And even though I know this song; I know that it’s about self love, about accepting yourself before accepting others, I still think of Amity. Of Grom. Of our dance together.

“...I understand, I’m a liability…”

And it all comes back again; the bullying, the rejection, the years of loneliness. This song came out when I was 11, a low point in my life, and it was a lot of comfort to me at that time. It helped me during that time. Now it’s just reminding me of the insecurities I’ve been trying to get over all these years.

“... The truth is I am a toy that people enjoy…”

And that’s the root of it. My best friends in the past always turned out to be just using me. Either for something I could do for them or so they could manipulate me or make fun of me. I’ve always wanted friends, I’ve never closed off and hid behind walls, but that resulted in a lot of hurt. And I’m still not over it, clearly.

“... I understand, I’m a liability…”

People don’t like Luz Noceda. I’m a freak, always have been, and Amity leaving like this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Of course she would. It’s nothing new to me. I shouldn’t hurt this much.  _ But she’s always been so kind to me. It’s only been a single day, not even. She’s dealing with so much, and I should really give her a break…  _ No. I can’t dive back in. I can’t let myself be tricked again.

“...You’re gonna watch me disappear into the sun.”

And with that, I stand, not looking at anyone, and walk back to my seat. The rest of the class passes in a blur, other performances glazing past my ears as my self-doubt takes over, pushing me and pushing me until, by the end of class, I almost convince myself this is just like the human world again. Another place where everybody hates the freak. Another place where I don’t fit in.

The bell screams, and I pack up, slowly this time, not feeling particularly energized about my next class. As I’m heading out, I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn to see, of all people, Skara. “What do you want, Skara?” I ask, a little sharper than I intend. I just don’t need Boscha’s crew messing with me today.

Skara swallows, putting on a sympathetic smile. “I just, like, I felt like you’re going through some stuff right now. Your song was beautiful, but you were crying for like, all of it.” I hadn’t even noticed. I scowl at her as if to say  _ What of it, _ and she quickly speaks again, “I just... I know we’re not exactly friends. But you’re actually really cool. Standing up to Boscha, bringing Amity out of her shell, bringing Willow’s confidence back.” She pauses momentarily. “I like, really respect all the things you’ve done, and I wanted to say that if you ever wanna talk about like, your feelings, or about Amity, or your friends, or whatever, I’d be happy to listen.” My look of disbelief must be obvious; she quickly backtracks a step. “Or if you just wanna like, hang out and jam sometime, take your mind off of things, you do play really well. I’d be totes excited to play with you.” She gives me another warm smile before handing me a slip of paper. “My scroll runes, if you ever need anything. Good luck with the rest of your day Luz. I’ll see you later.” And she walks out of the room.

I blink a few times, almost stone still, confused out of my mind at what had just happened. Skara, Boscha’s number 2, is worried about me? The storm in my head momentarily clears, and I’m able to parse through my feelings properly for the first time since this morning. Of course I’m worrying about Amity, and I guess I am a little angry with her for not letting me know what’s wrong, but that anger is misdirected. I’m really angry at her parents, the people that make Amity’s life miserable. I just hadn’t had enough time to properly think that everything got all jumbled up in my head, and a spiral just took over. I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I would have to thank Skara at some point; I don’t think even she realized what she’d just done for me.

***

Dueling class is more challenging than usual today. I’ve never been top of my class by any means, but I’ve always been able to win at least a couple of duels. But today, the class was almost over, and I had lost every fight. I’m distracted, sloppy.

Frustrated by myself, I step into the ring for the last duel of the day, against Celine. I like Celine, she’s quiet, but she always smiles at me when I see her in the halls. She seems nice. But also, she’s one of the most powerful Oracle track students, and I can rarely defeat her. I ready myself, attempting to push distractions to the back of my mind.

The duel begins like normal, me trying to angle some fireballs around Celine’s defenses while she uses a large specter to protect herself, sending several smaller ghosts after me. My failures from earlier keep building in the back of my mind, I get desperate. I use more dangerous tactics than I usually would, letting the small spirits get too close, launching myself higher than I usually would to try and outmaneuver Celine. And then something goes wrong. I place an ice glyph, ready to throw myself; just as across the lawn, I hear an older male student shout at his dueling mate, I can’t hear what they’re yelling about, but I can hear the anger. Just like earlier at lunch, I freeze, and before I can shake myself out of the stupor, my glyph activates, launching me at an odd angle. I windmill in the air, attempting to right myself, but I land hard, skidding a few feet across the grass.

Celine and the teacher are both instantly at my side as I stand up, feeling something wet dripping down my head and seeing many abrasions and scrapes along the left side of my body. The teacher asks Celine to take me to the nurse’s office, and she does, supporting me the whole way. I thank her as I am laid down in a bed, the nurse starting to treat my wounds.

I’m getting an intense headache by the time the final bell rings, and a few minutes later, Willow and Gus show up. They ask me if I’m ok, I say something about just having a headache; they look concerned and stay with me while the nurse continues patching me up. My friends are spending their afternoon staying with me instead of going home. They are genuinely worried about me. A small part of me blossoms, allowing that feeling to take hold for once.  _ They do care. Of course they do, they’re my friends. My best friends here on the Isles. I need to rethink some things, I think. _

As the nurse finishes patching me up, the headache slowly fading as he casts a final general painkiller spell, I hear a pair of feet outside, seemingly running away.  _ I wonder who that was. _

After some time, Eda shows up, obviously notified of what had happened by Bump. She comes in and thanks Gus and Willow for making sure I’m ok. She asks if I can walk, and I nod, and we head back to the Owl House.

***

We arrive back at the house and walk inside. I’m about to head upstairs when Eda calls out to me. “Hey kid, hold up. I wanted to talk to you for a minute.” I turn around, and she’s on the couch, patting the spot next to her. I walk over and sit down, wrapping my arms around my legs, wincing at the slight pain in the movement. “You look like you’ve had a long day Luz. Do you want to talk about it?” She places a comforting hand on my shoulder, telling me she’s here if I want to talk.

I think for a minute, think back through the rollercoaster of a day I’ve had. Think about Amity, about Willow and Gus, about Bard Lab with Skara, about Ethics class, about everything I’ve kept cooped up in my head for years, even from my mother. After a few minutes, I sigh, eyes trained on the floor in front of me. “It’s just…” I pause, trying to figure out where to start. “I’ve always had issues with… Self-esteem, I guess. You might remember me mentioning I never had friends back home. That wasn’t entirely true. I had people that said they were my friends, but it never lasted. I either scared them away, or they only said they were friends with me in the first place to figure out other ways to hurt me.” 

I pause, thinking back to all the bullying I had endured because of my enjoyment of supposed children’s books. “Even my mother couldn’t fully accept me. She sent me off to a summer camp, a place to make me more ‘normal.’” I used air quotes to emphasize. “I’ve just never fully felt accepted anywhere. So when I came here, it felt amazing, but I’ve always been… hesitant. To accept that people here actually like me. And today…” I trail off, trying to sort through my feelings from the day. Eda pulls me into a half-hug while I speak and starts soothingly rubbing my back. I feel safe, like I can really open up. 

“Amity got in trouble last night with her parents. And I haven’t heard from her since. I kind of went into a spiral, worrying about why she’s been avoiding me; all those worries about whether or not people really like me came roaring back. This was compounded by Ethics class; like half the class was talking about how inferior and weak humans are. I know Amity’s parents look down on weak witches, and that just…” I pause again, not quite sure how to explain this to Eda. “Hit a little too close to some things I experienced back home. The idea that some people are inherently lesser because of who they are.” 

I sigh, chewing on my lip for a second before continuing. “I know it’s stupid to feel this broken up after only one day, but Amity is so…” I pause again, a slight flush coming to my cheeks. “Amity’s just, really important to me, and it hurt when it felt like she was avoiding me. She still is, I think. I still haven’t heard from her. On top of all the worry about what this means for our friendship, I’m worried about her too! I know how strict her parents can be, and I’m worried they made some sort of threat against me like they did to Willow, but I want her to know that it’s ok, I’d figure something out, I value her friendship more than…” I whisper the last part. “More than almost anything, I think.” My voice returns to a normal volume. “It’s just a lot to deal with, ya know? I’m just so worried about my friendships; I don’t want them to fall apart like all my old ones. I love everyone here so much. I would be devastated if I lost them.” I fully lean into Eda, hugging her tight around the waist, finally done talking.

Eda thinks for a minute, taking in everything I’d said. When she speaks, her voice is soft and calming, and I can tell she is trying to step lightly. “Luz. I get where you’re coming from. You’ve seen how I acted in school. I was never super popular myself, acting up as much as I did. I had some friends, and I always had Lily, of course. But my antics always ended up pushing people away, and when they went away, I only ended up more isolated, causing me to pull more pranks, and the cycle repeats.” She pauses for a moment, chewing on her lip. “But that’s not you. I don’t know what’s wrong with the freaks in your realm, but you are one of the most genuine, kind-hearted, caring individuals I have ever met. You get up to your own shenanigans, sure, but you never do it out of malice, like I did. You do it because you care about people; you want to help them. On top of that, your endless optimism and curiosity are, honestly, inspiring.” 

I look up at Eda in disbelief at her words and see in her eyes genuine care that I had only ever seen in my mother’s eyes. She keeps speaking, the warm look never leaving her eyes. “I can’t speak for your other friend’s feelings, Luz; I can only say what I feel and what I see. You are, honestly, one of the best things to happen to me in a long time. You’ve made me better, you’ve made me happier, and you’ve made me feel like my life is worth something.” Tears start to flow, and Eda gently wipes them away. “And I see your friends. I see how they don’t just hang out with you out of obligation. They seek you out; they go along with your wacky plans happily. And that Blight girl.” She smirks when she mentions Amity. “Trust me, kid, she would never ignore you on purpose.” She leans down, gently kissing the top of my head. “Never think you’re not wanted here, ok? Cause I do love you, Luz. I hope you never forget that.”

The tears come in full force now, but not from sadness or disbelief. But from release, from relief, from years of pent up feelings. From spending so much of my life believing I was unlovable, from so much time worried about if I would ever truly make genuine connections. And here, in this crazy demon realm, I’ve found people that do care about me. At least, I’ve found Eda. She holds me while I cry, letting out all the bottled up emotions I’ve been refusing to feel. And I feel, truly, safe and accepted for the first time in a very long time.

Eventually, I’m able to calm down. After pulling away, we both go to the kitchen, getting something to drink. We chat about things; about school, about my injuries. We make some playful banter about me needing to concentrate on fighting more, and eventually, I notice how late it is. I excuse myself and go upstairs, my mind drifting through the events of the day.

I do feel a lot better, Eda’s words were genuine, and I feel that I’ve found someone that cares about me. But I still can’t stop thinking about Amity. I know, or think I know, that she wouldn’t avoid me on purpose. That there is something else that’s wrong. That if I can just talk to her, it will be ok. I sigh, resolving to find her in school tomorrow and talk to her. But for now, I just need to go to sleep. I lie down, working to calm my swirling thoughts, and eventually fall asleep.

_ A warm embrace, a painful stinging sensation, soothing words, and shouted hatred. _

My dream is even more difficult to parse than usual. I seem to be shifting between scenes; one moment in Eda’s arms, safe and happy. The next is a familiar scene of Amity and her father, but it’s me instead of Amity and Amity instead of her father sometimes. It’s so hard to tell; the forms keep shifting in and out of perception. One moment I’m so small under the harsh reprimands of an adult that sounds a lot like Amity; the next, I’m being rocked in the arms of a comforting fluffiness. And just as soon as the whirlwind begins, it ends.

***

**_With Eda…_ **

After Luz walks up to her room, I summon my scroll, texting the twins.

**Eda[11:16 PM]: Alright, what’s up with Amity? Luz was an absolute mess today.**

**Edric[11:17 PM]: We’re not sure. She wouldn’t talk to us at all today**

**Emira[11:17 PM]: She avoided us at school all day and locked herself in her room the moment we got home**

**Eda[11:20 PM]: Luz mentioned something about an incident with your parents?**

**Edric[11:21 PM]: Yea, we did hear some yelling from down the hall last night**

**Emira[11:21 PM]: We thought he was yelling at one of the servants again**

**Edric[11:22 PM]: We’ll try to talk to her about it in the morning**

**Emira[11:22 PM]: And if we can’t, we’ll make sure Luz can get a chance to talk to her**

**Eda[11:24 PM]: Alright, good. I’m counting on you two to figure this out tomorrow. We need to make sure they have their book club on Friday.**

I magic my scroll away, finishing off my glass of apple blood.  _ I never did like the Blights. Odalia and Alador always thought of themselves as so much above everyone else. They may end up being more of a problem than I thought. _ I pull out a notebook, jotting down a few ideas before heading up to bed myself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for making it through this chapter! It was definitely one of the ones I’ve been most nervous about due to the intense amount of angst in it. Please let me know your thoughts on how I did in the comments! This is my first time writing this kind of trauma and it’s definitely inspired by a lot of personal feelings I’ve had over my life which is kinda hard to just expose myself like this. I hope it makes sense with the Luz I’ve been establishing. I’ll be back in a week with a hopefully lighter chapter! Still angsty, it just won’t reach the same lows as this one. Comments and Kudos are always appreciated, ya’lls feedback gives me life :)


	6. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz has some hard but necessary conversations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just like the last chapter, fair warning, gonna be an angsty one. But! It’s not all angst. There’s some hurt/comfort, and some resolution I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for. This is also a pretty long one, so strap in ya’ll, and get some tissues cause you’ll probably need them. I know I did.
> 
> Once again thanks to both of my brilliant Beta Readers for all the feedback on this chapter! Goldminer and RainbowBuddy, you’re the reason this isn’t a trashfire of grammatical errors.
> 
> Also it's my birthday, a fact I share completely selfishly cause I like when people wish me a happy birthday.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

My eyes snap open. It’s still dark, and I feel that my room is cool, but I can also feel my body covered in sweat: another night, another nightmare. I really have to do something to get these under control; they’re really starting to get on my nerves. I turn over onto my side, sighing into my pillow. I doubt I’m going to be getting much more sleep tonight, but I try. I twist and turn, trying to clear my mind to get back to sleep. But every time my mind clears, that image from my dream haunts my thoughts.

Eventually, I see the rays of the sun peeking through my window, and I accept my fate. Maybe I should just ask Eda if I can stay home from school today. Fake an illness or even just tell Eda I don’t want to go. I’m sure she’d understand and even encourage it. Maybe I can get that quitter badge.

I lay in bed for a while longer, lazily watching the sun slowly creep higher into the sky. I check my scroll; no new messages from Amity. I’m about to try getting some sleep again when I hear a call from downstairs. “Hey, kid! If you don’t hurry up, you’re gonna be late!” I sigh, knowing Eda is right. Even if I’m not feeling particularly up to it, I really should go to school.

I flop out of bed, slowly going through my morning routine, pulling on my Hexside uniform. While I’m packing up my things, I hear a knock on my door and a voice, much quieter this time. “Hey kid, you awake in there? I get it if you don’t want to go to school, school sucks; I just know how much you enjoy it. I wanted to make sure you didn’t oversleep or something.” I put the last book in my bag and walk over to the door, opening it. I must look pretty messy and tired because Eda puts a caring hand on my shoulder. “What’s up, Luz? You look like a mess.”

I chuckle wryly, shaking my head. “It’s... It’s nothing, Eda. Just a bad dream.” I hesitate. “I know I’m pretty late. Would you be willing to take me to school on your staff?”

Eda nods, eyes warm. “Hey Luz, remember. It’s ok to be down some days. I’m down most days!” She lets out a short cackle before returning her face to a more serious expression. “But for real. Life can be a lot sometimes, and it’s ok not to feel one hundred percent all the time.”

I nod, tears starting to prick at the corners of my eyes. Instead of letting them fall, I pull Eda into a hug. She softly ruffles my hair, holding me for a moment. We break apart and head out. Already I’m feeling a little better about my day.

***

I  _ was _ feeling better about my day before remembering that it is an Oracle track day. I don’t dislike Oracle track by any means; I love all the magic tracks! But Oracle track is just so dense. There’s so much theory about the future and the past and time and the Beyond and ghosts versus spirits versus specters, and it just goes on and on. Having Oracle 101 first thing in the morning, especially after a bad night of sleep, is always a recipe for disaster.

So I don’t need a crystal ball to tell me that Oracle Lab isn’t going to be much better. Ironically, I suppose, today we’re studying how to tell the future with crystal balls. And I am bad at it. I sit next to Celine in Oracle class. Seeing as she’s top student, I am paired up with her in case I need any help with the basics. But it doesn’t exactly help my confidence when I see Celine sitting next to me, taking down note after note about what she saw while I stare into my globe and see nothing but an obtuse mist.

Celine must notice my distress,  _ Or maybe she saw it in her crystal ball _ , because she looks over at me and smiles patiently. “Need any help, Luz? I’m done with my work, so I’m free if you need me.”

I take a deep breath, putting on my best normal face, smiling at Celine. “Yea, Celine, that’d be great. You got any tips on how to make this thing work? All I can see is some spooky swirling mist.”

Celine nods in understanding, collecting her thoughts before speaking. “So the thing about crystal balls that is different than a lot of other future-telling methods is that they actually work on your own natural magical energy. Most other future-telling methods rely on spirits or the energies of the isles or the flow of time or something. But crystal balls are the most personal of future-telling methods. You have to channel your own energy into it, channeling not just yourself but a future self that you hope to see.”

I nod, somehow more dejected than before. “Yea. Yea, that would explain why I’m having so much difficulty with it. No natural magical energy.” I think for a second, trying to summon my usual curiosity for magic. Celine remains quiet, letting me work through my thoughts. I think back to the night of the Moonlight Conjuring. “Hey, Celine. Do you think you could like, put magic into my orb for me? Like, say I held your hand, and I concentrated on what I wanted, and you channeled magic into the sphere? Do you think that might work?”

  
Celine mulls it over for a minute. “I don’t know. I’ve never really tried it. We could certainly give it a go?” I nod, holding out my hand as a little bit of my usual excitement starts creeping back in. Celine takes my hand, and we each put a hand on the crystal ball. I concentrate on seeing a future where I am drawing the glyph to do this magic on my own, trying to crystallize that thought and send it into the globe. I nod at Celine, and I notice a soft yellow glow envelope her hand.

For just a moment, nothing happens before I see the mist finally clearing, and I see myself drawing a glyph! I quickly copy it down, Celine watching me work with interest. I draw one with a broken circle for reference, then redraw a whole one to use. I place the glyph on the globe and think about tomorrow. About Azura Book Club. I put my hands on the globe and lightly tap the glyph, and once again, the mist clears! 

Oddly though, the image itself is still fuzzy. It seems to shift between two scenes. One of Amity and I in the hideout, reenacting a scene from Azura, and another of Amity by herself in the hideout, shoulders shaking. The two scenes blur and shift. After a minute, they stop, and I have to shake my head to clear the disorientation in my head. I look back at Celine. “So. First of all, thank you, that totally worked, and now I can do it on my own.” Celine smiles at that, an implicit You’re Welcome. “But secondly, what does it mean if the image I saw shifted rapidly between two versions of the same scene.”

Celine starts speaking almost immediately this time. “Ah, this must be an event happening soon. Shifting perspectives like that means the event is still in flux. The events are tipped on a knife’s edge, and you need to decide which way you want the event to happen. It’s a delicate thing, and it’s hard to tell exactly what you need to do, but you need to be the one to make a move to get the image to resolve. Hopefully, in the way you want it to.”

I nod, my lips drawing to a thin line.  _ In the way I want it to… _ “Alright, Celine. Thanks again for all your help.” She waves a hand as if to say ‘Not a problem,’ and I return to my assignment. I’m able to complete it just as the bell screams, despite being distracted most of the time by thoughts of Amity, Azura Book Club, and what I can do to make the future what I want it to be.

***

Plants 101 with Willow is always fun. Seeing Willow’s face light up every time she learns something new about a plant or a new trick to take care of them. I enjoy the class a lot more having Willow in it. I don’t hate plants; I’m just not very good with them. My mami is the one with the green thumb, not me. Regardless it is definitely a high point in my morning. As Willow and I approach the lunchroom, my nerves return, remembering that I still haven’t heard from Amity in almost two days now.  _ Would she be at lunch? I hadn’t seen her in school all day. But it really didn’t seem like Amity to miss so much school. Is she avoiding me? _

Willow seems to notice me spiraling and puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. I look over at my friend, seeing her eyes shining with concern. I try and smile reassuringly, although I feel like it does little to calm Willow. “You know you can talk to me about anything, Luz.”

I try and smile wider, trying to put on the face I usually have, a look of carefree joy. “Of course, Willow! But there’s nothing to talk about. I’m fine, I’m fine!” Willow’s clearly not buying it, but we arrive at our lunch table, and she drops it while we catch up with Gus.

I try to participate in the conversation. I put on what I hope is a happy face and chat and laugh with my friends. But I can’t help but notice Amity’s absence from our table. It’s harder today. Yesterday was a combination of shock from the dream, shock from Amity disappearing, shock from the song I decided to play, shock from so many years of insecurities battling it out in my head. But today, it isn’t a shock anymore. 

It’s more real, more settled. Amity is avoiding me. And I realize, right now, exactly why that bothers me so much. I’ve known I have a crush on Amity for a while. She’s so wonderful and smart and caring and kind and pretty. Of course I have a crush on her. But this isn’t like my crushes from before; this isn’t some small thing that goes away after a rejection. This is buried deep; I’ve never felt this deeply for someone.

I must be lost in my thoughts again because I feel a hand on my shoulder as Willow and Gus both look at me, worry back in their eyes. “Oh, hah, sorry guys. Just thinking about homework, ya know? Gotta lotta work to do, just thinking about. All that work...” I trail off, giving a weak smile.

I notice Willow’s eyes change, but I’m unsure exactly what the emotion is within them. When she speaks, her tone of voice is almost too neutral. “Luz. We have free period after this, right? Would you like to help me in the greenhouse?”

I nod nervously, weirdly reluctant to accept spending time with Willow.  _ She’s my friend, right? She cares about me, doesn’t she? Does she? _ Mid-spiral, I look up to see the look in Willow’s eyes shift to concern, and I firmly remind myself that yes, Willow is my friend. “Yea. Yea, that sounds nice Willow.” She nods back at me, just as the bell screams for the end of lunch.

***

Willow leads me through the halls of Hexside towards the greenhouse. I’m still distracted by the thoughts swirling in my head, so it isn’t until too late I notice we’re nowhere near the greenhouse. We’re in one of the currently secluded parts of Hexside, where no classes are taking place. I’m about to ask Willow where we’re going when she pulls me into an empty classroom.

She turns to me, the look on her face a mix of concern and resolve. “Ok Luz. Tell me what’s wrong. You’ve been bottling something up the last two days, and it seems to be really affecting you.”

I shake my head. “No Willow, I’m fine! Really! Just ya know, got a lot of schoolwork, and I had Oracle today…” Willow steps closer, cutting me off mid-sentence, putting two comforting hands on my shoulders.

When she speaks, her voice is soft. “Luz. You do so much for everyone else. You care so deeply and so freely. You love all of your friends so dearly. Please realize we love you the same way, that you’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and that I just want to know what’s hurting you like this. I just want to know how I can help you because I want to help you. Because you’re my friend.”

The genuine concern in Willow’s eyes and voice is the last crack in the dam around my feelings. Just like last night with Eda, everything bursts out. Not even everything about Amity,  _ everything _ . As I start speaking, tears start flowing again. I’m crying a lot recently. Willow holds me close, listening to everything I say, comforting me through my words. “Willow, it’s Amity. Of course, it’s Amity. Well, it’s not just Amity. It’s Amity, and Eda, and you and Gus, and Viney, and the twins, and Jerbo and Barcus, and King, and just-” 

I take a shuddering breath, trying to decide how to proceed. “Willow, I’ve never had friends before you guys. Back in the human world, I was always an outcast, a weirdo, a freak. It’s always been hard to accept that people really care about me; that people are friends with me because they like me, not because they want something out of me. I love you all, of course I do, but there’s always this voice in the back of my mind that’s telling me that one day you’ll all leave. You’ll all abandon me, hate me, and I’ll be alone again. Just like I always am. Just me and my books.”

I pause, crying into Willow’s shoulder for a few more seconds before continuing. “And Amity. Oh, Amity. Willow, I have such a bad crush on her. And I’ve never had a crush work out for me. Every time I’ve tried, I was either rejected, bullied, or taken advantage of. And so I’ve always been hesitant.“

A sob interrupts my thoughts for a second. “Don’t you think I see how red she gets around me, Willow? How embarrassed or angry she is anytime I get too close? It must be torture for her to be near me. And now this? I finally think we’re getting close, and she’s just- Gone. Not a word, not a text. I haven’t seen her in school at all in two days almost. I don’t- Amity’s so nice. I’m sure there’s something, some other reason why she’s doing this. But it hurts. It hurts so much. My brain keeps telling me I deserve this. I deserve to be let down, for getting too close, for getting my hopes up again, for thinking for a second that someone as amazing as Amity Blight would ever like me.”

“And you, Willow. I didn’t want to worry you. I know- well, part of me knows that you care. But I thought if I told you all this, I’d just be a burden. I’d be loading my problems onto your shoulders; problems I should be able to deal with on my own. This can’t be fun for you; it’s certainly not fun for me. So why would I push this on someone else? I can do this. I’ll be fine. I always have been before; why would now be any different? I just didn’t want to worry you, Willow…” 

At this point, we’re on the ground, Willow wrapping me tightly in her arms, soothing hand running along my back. After I finish talking, the tears fall in earnest, drenching Willow’s cowl. She never stops comforting me.

Once I calm down to the point of being able to speak again, Willow starts talking. “First of all, Luz; You are not a burden. You’re never a burden. Never let yourself think that. I was serious before. You are my best friend, one of the best things to happen in my life. You’re someone I care about, Luz. If something is bothering you, it is not a burden to me to be here for you. It is an honor. I’m your friend, and I want to help you, just like you help me constantly. Would you ever say it’s a burden to help me, Luz?” I slowly shake my head into Willow’s shoulder. “Then remember that. It’s not a burden to help your friends, and you are my friend.” I nod, feeling a knot I hadn’t known was there loosen slightly at Willow’s words.

“Secondly, you should tell yourself more that there are people that care about you here. I’m sorry that you had such a lonely childhood, Luz. You didn’t deserve that. You are a wonderful, warm, unique, kind ball of sunshine. You bring joy to everyone around you. And people here like you. If people here didn’t like you, they wouldn’t stick around. You’ve been here for months, Luz. Months. If your friends, your new family, didn’t like you, they would have left. But we stick around. Because we do like you, Luz. You’re fun, and chaotic, and kind; you bring smiles to our faces; and your antics fill our lives with laughter. You also give so freely of yourself, helping anyone at any time, for any reason.”

Willow smiled warmly at me, stroking a comforting hand through my hair. “The people back home may not have seen it, but the people here do. They see that you’re kind, that you care, and that anyone that wouldn’t be happy to have you as a friend is an idiot.” 

The knot loosens further, although hearing all this from Willow is causing a slight resurgence of tears. My mother had said things like this to me before, but she was my mom. Hearing this from Willow, from someone with no obligation to like me, feels so much different. So much warmer.

“And Amity. Luz. It’s not my place to say how Amity feels about you. But maybe try looking closer. Read further. I don’t think her behavior is out of anger or embarrassment. At the very least, she’s not embarrassed by  _ you _ . She likes you just as much as we do, Luz. She’s your friend too, another person in this world whose life you have changed so drastically for the better by being in it. I know, for sure, that she isn’t ignoring you on purpose.”

All of Willow’s words swirl in my head, my chest. The knot loosens further but not all the way. There’s more I need to do, but Willow’s comfort helps. I let myself believe. I let Willow in. I have a friend, a true friend, a friend that cares so much she spends 30 minutes on the floor, letting me cry on her. She hasn’t run away; she hasn’t called me gross or weird. She hasn’t shamed my insecurities or interests; she’s just here. For me. As a friend. As someone who actually cares about me, in a way that I have only experienced, again, from my mother. I finally finish crying, using the sleeves of my uniform to wipe away the various fluids running down my face. I look at Willow and notice there are tear stains on her cheeks, too; through all of that, she sat with me, comforted me, made me feel better. I’ve never felt this before, this warmth, this safety, this belief that for once, I have a friend.

“Willow. I…” I swallow hard, the words coming out hoarse. I have trouble putting my thoughts into words, so I grab her hands, smiling at her, a genuine smile this time. “Thank you, Willow. You can’t know how much that all means to me. To know that I have a friend like you. Thank you.” 

She merely nods, getting up, and helping me with her. “We should find a bathroom before next period, get ourselves cleaned up, ya know?” She smiles softly at me, and we head off. I don’t need a crystal ball to tell me I will never forget this day.

***

After cleaning ourselves up, we actually arrive in the greenhouse, just in time for Plants Lab. For the past few weeks, we’ve been working in pairs on plots of Baby Radishes. Literally. These plants aren’t small radishes; they’re radishes that look and act like babies. Very disturbing, but also kind of cute? Today is transplanting day, where they’ve grown too big for their pots, so we need to plant them in proper field rows. Willow and I grab our cart of radishes and make our way to the plot our teacher told us to use.

The next hour is a lot of fun and a high point in the last two days—a necessary break from my anxieties. The filtered warmth of the sun through the greenhouse reminds me of warm summer days reading Azura under a tree. The smell of fertilizer and plants reminds me of the garden my mother used to have. The soft chatter of my classmates is pleasing background noise, like the white noise I sometimes use to go to sleep. 

Most of the magic that we need to do is too complicated for my basic plant glyph, so I let Willow do most of the magic while I do most of the manual labor of digging out holes for each baby. The repetitive work of digging is also helpful for my mind, a simple task to focus on instead of focusing on everything else going through my thoughts.

Once I get all the holes dug and Willow puts the radishes to sleep, we start moving them. We remove the creatures from their pots, being careful not to disturb them, then started replanting. Halfway through the work, someone in another plot knocks over one of their pots, causing a loud crash of ceramic. Instantly all of our babies wake up and start crying and running around in circles. Thankfully we’re fenced in so they can’t escape too far, but Willow and I have to run around and catch all the wailing creatures so Willow can spell them back to sleep. At one point, I have a half dozen radishes in each hand and a diaper on my head. But we do eventually round them all up. For how small they are, those sure are some slippery vegetables. They sure are cute when they’re sleeping, though.

By the time the hour is up, I’m sore and tired but happy with my work. Willow and I are gently covering the last radish with soil when the bell screams, and the teacher dismisses us, saying she’ll clean up the pots. I hurry to my next class, thanking Willow again for everything before we part.

***

The rest of the day isn’t quite as lovely as those few hours with Willow, especially since I have to share the rest of my classes with Mattholomule, who’s still holding a grudge about the whole detention incident. But it ends up averaging out to an ok day. I’ve decided I’m going to give Amity one more day, and if she hasn’t gotten back to me by tomorrow, I’ll find her after school. 

I’m walking towards the front of the school when suddenly a classroom door swings open, and two arms pull me inside. I turn around to see the twins. “Wow, I sure am being abducted into a lot of empty classrooms today.” I laugh, but the laughter dies in my throat when I see the looks on their face. A mixture of anger, fear, concern, and confusion. “What’s up? You two look... Not ok.”

Emira sighs, rubbing one of her arms. “It’s Mittens, I mean, Amity. We heard father the other night. The yelling. The whole mansion could hear it.”

Edric nods. “And ever since, Amity has been closed off, more than usual, more even than before you showed up.”

Emira continues. “She comes straight home and locks herself in her room. We don’t see her at dinner. She won’t even get angry about our teasing anymore.”

“We know you were on the other end of that phone call. We’re worried about her.”

“She’s been sneaking around school for the past few days, but we don’t think she’s suddenly stopped caring about you, Luz.”

Edric nods resolutely. “She definitely never stopped caring about you. We think the problem is she might care too much.”

“You know how our father is, what happened with Willow. We think she’s trying to protect you. But we all know how dangerous it is for her only source of self to come from our parents.”

“She needs you, Luz. You make her better. You make her happier. Please, will you talk to her?”

I blink a few times rapidly, trying to absorb all the information that the twins are throwing at me.  _ Amity still cares?  _ But why’s she avoiding you then.  _ That shouldn’t matter. Amity needs help. _ You needed help over the last few days too.  _ But that doesn’t matter! If Amity needs help, I need to help her!  _ But she abandoned you. If she needed help, she should have come to you sooner.  _ No! Stop that! I’m helping Amity! _

The twins notice my silent struggle; they both reach out a hand. I put up one of mine, telling them to wait. I take a few deep breaths, steadying myself, trying to dispel whatever it is that keeps gnawing at my thoughts. 

I look up to them, nodding. “Alright. Do you know where she would be right now?” The twins nod, telling me where I can find her. I set off, determination growing stronger in my chest with every step I take.

***

I wait by the stable at the back of school that the beast keeping track uses. The twins say Amity will come out of the building through a secret tunnel the twins know about. I wait right in front of it, feet away. There’s no way Amity is leaving without talking to me.

A few minutes later, I see the wall dissolve, and there she is. Amity, my best friend, my crush. She stands in the opening, looking equal parts miserable and terrified. Her eyes are raw and puffy as if she’s been crying a lot over the past two days. I’m sure my eyes look similar. She sees me, and her eyes widen, startled. She freezes, like a deer caught in headlights, her entire body trembling with suppressed energy. 

I wave. “Hey, Amity.”

Hearing my voice seems to pull her from her thoughts, and she moves to roughly brush past me. “You shouldn’t be here, Luz. You’re not safe around me.”

I grab her wrist gently, holding- no,  _ asking _ her to please stay. I can feel her begin to pull away, but just as her wrist is about to slip from my hand, she freezes. I hear her sniff and see a few tears fall to the ground. I wrap my arms around her torso, pulling her into a soft embrace. We stay that way for a few moments before she breaks down. She turns, arms wrapping desperately around me. I can feel the wetness of her tears through my shirt; I can hear the ragged sobs as she releases the pent up energy from the past few days. The force of her grip sends us both crashing to the ground. We sit like that for a while; I softly rub her back as she cries. “I’m here, Amity,” I whisper hoarsely, my throat still not fully recovered from my own tears. “Everything’s going to be ok. I’m not leaving”. Taking a leaf from Willow’s tree, I wait patiently, giving Amity all the time she needs.

Eventually, I can feel more than hear her shuddering sobs come to a stop, as Amity had become silent long ago. She doesn’t look up, so I try coaxing her a little. “Hey. You know you can always talk to me. I’m here to help, with anything and everything.”

I hear and feel Amity let out a little disgruntled sigh. She struggles for a moment, seemingly deciding what to say first. “I’m sorry, Luz. I missed you so much. I never meant to hurt you.” 

My brow furrows in confusion. “Amity, you don’t need…” Amity cuts me off as she looks up at me, holding up her hand to make me pause.

She takes in a deep, shaky breath and holds it for a few seconds, letting it out before continuing. “I do. I know you care about me, Luz. You’ve said yourself I’m your best friend. I knew this decision could hurt you, but I made it anyway, for both of us.”

She takes a moment, expecting me to interrupt again. I just nod at her, prompting her to continue. “I’m sure you know at least part of what happened. My dad came in while we were talking; he caught me and was furious. He took my scroll and forbade me from ever speaking to you again. He said, ‘if I ever hear about you interacting with that filth again, I will make sure she is removed so quickly from that school, her head will spin’ and I just... Luz... You know how powerful they are. I didn’t want- I couldn’t let them take that away from you. I was scared. I know how important this is to you. I know I’m your friend, but I told myself I’m not worth risking your dreams over. I figured if I just stopped talking to you, maybe you would forget me, you could even hate me if you needed to, because then you could still achieve your dream. That's all that really matters. That’s all I wanted for you. To be happy. I never meant to hurt you, Luz. I’m so sorry. I just did what I thought was best.” The tears continue, and so do my soothing circles on Amity’s back.

I think for some time, letting Amity’s tears continue to flow. Eventually, I speak up softly, soothingly. “Amity. I care about being a witch. And this school is great. But I have Eda. I have my friends. I have  _ you. _ ” Her breath hitches slightly in her throat, and I watch as pink blossoms across her cheeks. “I’d be able to learn to be a witch one way or another. But you’re one of a kind. You’re Amity. Top Student, wonderfully kind and thoughtful, sassy when it suits you, gentle when you need to be. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Amity, and I would trade away 10 Hexsides to keep you in my life.” 

I look deep into Amity’s eyes, trying to convey every emotion I felt for her, every small thing I wish I could put into words, all the ways she makes me the happiest person on the Boiling Isles. “I don’t care what your parents do to me, and honestly, I don’t think they  _ can _ do anything to me. I’m the apprentice to the strongest witch on the Boiling Isles, and I’m not too shabby myself. And besides, with you by my side, I know I can do anything.” I pause. “Remember what I said in Willow’s mind, Amity. We can do this together. I meant it then, and I mean it now. No matter what comes, if we’re together, I’m sure we can face it.” 

At this point, the blush on Amity’s face had crept past her cheeks, creeping up along the sides of her eyes and even coming in at the tips of her ears, and I try to remember what Willow said. Stay objective, focus on the facts, don’t let your insecurities define you. I look. Amity isn’t pulling away; she isn’t stiff. If anything, she’s trying to get closer to me. She’s crying, yes, but that isn’t my fault; that’s because of the situation her parents put her in. She’s practically sitting on my lap, arms wrapped around my waist, head buried into me. I write and read a lot of fanfiction. I know the signs. Maybe it’s not so crazy to think that maybe, just maybe, Amity might have a crush on me too.

Minutes tick by, and Amity nuzzles deeper into my shoulder. Hot air huffs across my skin as she breathes out heavily. I hear her take several deep breaths, then feel her lift her head, her eyes searching for mine. I look back, examining every detail of her face. The look she’s giving me isn’t reproachful or disgusted; it isn’t angry, it’s a look of… Gratitude. Of… Love? Platonic or romantic, it was clear to me, for once, that Amity’s blushes aren’t of hatred or embarrassment. Well, maybe of embarrassment, but not of  _ me _ . Amity finally speaks, voice rough but soft. “Luz. Thank you. I…” She trails off, biting her bottom lip in thought.  _ So cute. _ “It really means a lot to hear you say that. That you care, that you want me in your life.” The blush returns slightly to her face. “I… I want that too. To be with you. You’re my best friend too. You’ve done so much to make my life better. I would hate myself if I let that go. I’m sorry I put you through this for two days.”

Without thinking, I lean down, quickly planting a soft kiss on Amity’s forehead. “No need to apologize, Amity. You did what you thought was best,” My eyes are closed as I speak, and they fly open as I suddenly realize what I did. Amity's face is the deep red of a fresh tomato. She sputters for a second, scrabbling backward away from me on hands and feet. I try to hold back a laugh, but the joy I’m feeling at how she reacted can’t stay contained. This moment crystallizes in my mind, and I am almost certain now. Almost sure that yes, Amity Blight does, in fact, have a crush on me.  _ Now I just need to figure out how to ask her out. _

After Amity is able to function properly again, she smiles softly at me, giving a small giggle of her own. I stand up, the energy of the realization forcing me to my feet. I hold my hands out to help Amity up, pulling her up rather forcefully and bringing her quite close. We both blush, but neither of us steps back right away. After a few seconds, Amity steps back slightly but doesn’t drop my hands. She smiles softly at me before speaking. “Well, uh. Thanks, Luz. For all of this. I should probably get going before my parents get suspicious, but I think I’m supposed to get my scroll back tonight, so I’ll text you?”

I nod, smiling wide. “That would be great! But no more calls for now. And be careful about texting in public. I don’t want you to get in any more trouble just because of lil ol’ me.”

Amity nods, a serious look on her face. “I will. And if I do get in trouble, I promise I won’t handle it like this again.”

“But that won’t happen, so it’ll be fine!” I pull her into another tight hug, which she readily returns. I can almost feel the heat radiating from both of our cheeks as we stay in the embrace for longer than would be strictly necessary. We part, almost reluctantly, hands held tenderly for just a second too long before we finally separate. We say our final goodbyes, turning away and heading towards our respective houses. A weight has been lifted from my shoulders, the knot in my chest finally unraveling. Amity hasn’t been avoiding me; well, she had, but not for the reasons I thought. And she might even have a crush on me? On me, Luz Noceda, ordinary human? I’m practically dancing the entire way home; pirouettes and leaps through the woods, spinning around trees like their lampposts, greeting each and every nightmare creature as if it were my very best friend. I finally arrive at the Owl House, the thought of Amity still warm in my heart.

***

I arrive back at the Owl House, practically dancing through the front door. I yell out in a sing-song voice. “Eda-a-a-a-a. I’m ho-o-o-o-ome.”

Eda pops her head out of the kitchen, smiling at me. “Well, looks like you had a good day?”

I nod quickly, grin almost splitting my face in half. “Yea! I finally talked to Amity, and we worked it out, and I think things are gonna be ok! She got in a little trouble with her dad, but we’re gonna be more discrete, so he doesn’t notice. It’s gonna be like Romeo and Juliet! Except you don’t really hate her, so hopefully it’ll end with fewer intestines and less teenage death.”

Eda looks confused for a second before shaking her head, walking out into the living room proper with a look of concern on her face. “What do you mean she got in trouble with her dad? What did he do exactly?”

I hesitate but remember last night. I should be honest with Eda. “He just- well, he wasn’t happy she was talking to me. I believe the words he used were ‘That filthy human,’” I wince at the anger I see budding in Eda’s face, “and then said if he ever caught her talking to me again, he’d get me kicked out of Hexside.” I see the rage break out in full force on Eda’s face, and I quickly backtrack. “But it’s fine, it’s fine! We’re not gonna call, just text, and it’s not like I wouldn’t be able to keep learning magic if I got kicked out, so, like, I’ll be fine!”

Eda takes a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose to calm herself down. “Kid. It’s nice of you to think that. But you really need to stop putting other people before yourself. Going to Hexside is important to you, right?” She looks at me as she asks, and I nod slowly. “So you’re going to keep going, regardless of what that…” She pauses, seemingly stuck on what word to use. “That weasel, Alador Blight has to say about it. Keep talking to Amity however you want; call, text, show up at her house with a hand-written letter, heck - serenade her on the balcony if you want! But leave Alador to me. You won’t be kicked out of Hexside if I have anything to say about it, and I have a lot to say about it.” I can practically hear Eda growl out the last sentence. 

For the third or fourth time today, my eyes start to fill with tears, and I rush forwards, grasping Eda around the waist. “Thank you, Eda. Thank you for being so willing to do that for me. And for supporting my friendships. I really appreciate that.” I look up and see her gaze soften as she looks down at me, giving my hair a little ruffle.

She chuckles softly. “Alright kid. I’m glad you had a good day, regardless of what dumb garbage the Blight parents did. Now go get started on your homework; dinner should be ready…” She is cut off by what sounds like an explosion from the kitchen. “Eventually.” I laugh, giving her a final squeeze before heading up to my room.

I spend the rest of my night doing homework, playing with King, and eating dinner. Eventually, I’m getting ready for bed when my scroll buzzes. It’s Amity!

**Amity[10:34 PM]:** Hey Luz. Sorry for taking so long to text you. It took a bit of convincing to get my scroll back.

**Luz[10:35 PM]:** No problem! I’m just glad you got it back!

**Luz[10:36 PM]:** Oh, I forgot to ask, now that we’re back on speaking terms, are we still having Azura Book Club tomorrow?

**Amity[10:39 PM]:** Of course we are. We’ll meet after school, then go to the library?

**Luz[10:40 PM]:** That sounds great! Ok, I gotta go get ready for bed I’ll talk to you tomorrow <3

I put my scroll away, finishing my preparations for bed. I lay down, hoping for a dreamless sleep. After not too much time, I drift off, settling into the warmth of my sheets.

_ The sound of crying, the sound of laughter, the cold feeling of tears, the blast of spellfire _

Scenes rapidly run before my eyes. Being in the market with Amity, Amity crying alone in her room, Amity held in my arms outside of school, Amity and I dueling. My emotions are a mess, scenes whipping past so fast I’m unsure what to feel before the next scene is already here. It reminds me of the swirling uncertainty from the crystal ball earlier today. Scenes are shifting in and out as if the universe hasn’t decided what comes next. A future where Amity is forced to be terrified and alone, or a future where Amity takes happiness and love by force.

I’m torn awake, shivers running down my spine despite how warm I am. I peel myself off of my sleeping bag as the dream slowly fades from my mind. I blink around in the darkness, reaching for my scroll to check the time. It’s about 2 am. I notice Amity sent me a message, and I pull it up.

**Amity[11:46 PM]:** Good night Luz. I can’t wait for Book Club tomorrow <3

And that’s what I need. To see Amity happy. To see Amity excited to see me. To see that little heart that made my own heart speed up several times. I smile warmly to myself, putting the scroll down next to my bed. I look at the foot of my sleeping bag, seeing King still sleeping peacefully. I must not have screamed this time, thankfully. I take a deep breath, pushing the last struggling thoughts from my mind, as I curl up under my blankets and go back to sleep, the rest of the night blissfully dreamless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone for making it through this chapter! It definitely took a lot of tweaking to get right, especially Amity’s section. I hope I was able to do the themes I’m exploring justice!
> 
> Also, slight change of plans, next chapter was supposed to be Friday but I’ve realized I need a chapter to explore what Amity’s been going through over the past few days. So next chapter will be chapter 6.5, exploring Tuesday night through Thursday afternoon from Amity’s perspective. Just to fill in some extra context you might be missing since this is a Luz POV. So you can look forward to some Amity POV next chapter! Also. Fair warning. I think I said the angst had hit it’s low point last chapter but I’m now writing Blight Parent Bullshit so uh… Yea next chapter’s gonna get pretty bad. Like. Holy shit. I didn’t think the angst could get this bad. Then I remembered how much of a garbage fire the Blight parents are. So yea, get some tissues, next chapter’s gonna be rough.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are appreciated, thank you all for the support I’ve already received you’re all wonderful and supportive and I love you all <3<3<3<3<3


	7. Amity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We catch up with Amity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! So like I mentioned last time, this is an Amity POV chapter, filling us in on some of the details we missed in the last few chapters. This also sets up my version of the Blight Parents more fully.
> 
> Also a CW right at the start here, the first section(From the Tuesday to Wednesday labels) includes some intense Bad Parenting; including yelling, emotional manipulation, and magical paralysis. So if you’re particularly sensitive to that, I’d recommend skipping to Wednesday. Also in the section that starts with “It is, in fact, a very long day” Amity has a panic attack, so if reading about those is hurtful, be sure to skip that whole section. I’ll be sure to include a summary of both of those sections in the post-notes.
> 
> Also, thank you all so much for the continued support on this fic! We hit 400 kudos recently and I’m just always so honored that ya’ll like my work so much. It’s truly a treat to see all your comments every day, they are just as much a ray of sunshine to me as Luz is to Amity :)
> 
> And as always, thank you so much to my beta readers, Goldminer and RainbowBuddy. This story wouldn’t be the same without them!
> 
> Anyway, see ya’ll in the post notes, good luck!

*** Tuesday ***

I practically skip home, an unusual mode of ambulation for me to be sure. But I can’t help it. Walking home with Luz never fails to put a smile on my face. And if it also puts a dusting of pink on my cheeks, who’s going to notice? Luz sure isn’t, and that’s okay for now. I’ll tell her... soon. But rounding the last corner on the road to my house, my smile fades. Because as wonderful as Luz can make me feel, just the sight of Blight Mansion will always bring me crashing back down to the Isles. My least favorite building on the Boiling Isles, with some of my least favorite people inside. I take a deep breath, gathering my courage as I do every day, and enter the grounds.

Thankfully no one seems to notice my arrival, and I’m able to go straight to my room and start on some homework while I wait for dinner. I fill out some abominations worksheets, texting back and forth a little with Luz. As depressing as Blight Manor can be, even texting my crush can bring a smile to my face. She’s complaining about some assignment she’s working on when I hear one of the servants call up to our rooms, announcing that dinner is ready. 

I instantly abandon what I’m doing and smooth out my clothes, stepping into the hallway at the same time Ed and Em do. We proceed down the grand staircase in a single file line, walking into the dining room and taking our usual seats at the dining table. Dinners at Blight Manor are usually silent affairs, with little conversation spattered here or there about how we’re doing at school. Of course, we are never permitted to speak without being spoken to. We are  _ only  _ children after all.

Just as we’re finishing our meals and our plates are being taken away, my mother looks at me, the slightest hint of distaste on her face.  _ Oh no. She’s finally noticed.  _ She speaks up, a cloying fake sweetness in her voice. “Amity dear, it seems your roots have grown in rather long. Wouldn’t it be nice to re-dye it? I know how much you love matching your siblings.” She lies, straight through her perfect teeth.

I’m about to agree, but I remember Luz. I remember our conversation about never judging me for who I am. I steel my resolve, putting on my best deferent tone. “If it’s alright with you, Mother, I quite like my natural hair color and would prefer to let it grow out.”

The twins look up from where they sit, staring at me with confusion. My mother’s smile only widens, the look of distaste hardening and morphing into disappointment. Her voice, somehow, becomes even sweeter. “But dear, you look so wonderful with your hair green.” She looks at the twins. “Don’t you two think your sister just looks wonderful with her hair dyed?”

The twins quickly look between me and each other before turning to our mother. Em speaks up first. “Mother, while I do love our little sister’s hair, I think she should be allowed to do whatever she wants with it.”

Ed nods, speaking up as well. “It’s her hair. I always liked her hair more in its natural color anyway.”

I see my mother’s facade almost break, but, as the professional socialite she is, she maintains her smile. “Well, as her parents, we still think she should dye it, and we’ll have it done tonight. If the two of you could leave, we’ll get it done right away. A wonderful mother-daughter bonding night.”

The twins share another quick glance before they both start to object again. Before either of them can get more than two words out of their mouths, Father finally speaks, for one of the few times tonight. His words are clipped and cold, and his eyes are hard and unyielding. “Your mother said you are dismissed.” The twins instantly shut their mouths and, shooting apologetic looks at me, walk out of the room.

It’s now just my parents and me. I won’t back down. Not from my mother. “Mother, I still don’t want my hair…”

“Amity.” The cold word cut off my breath. My father has power in his words, a power he holds over this whole family. And with just that one word, I almost cave as he stares at me with a ferocity I have not seen from him in a long time.

But I remember Luz. Her smiling face, her reluctance to back down from anything, her unyielding optimism. If Luz Noceda can be the first-ever all track student at Hexside, I can stand up to my parents about my hair. I straighten, perfecting my pose, and look directly into my Father’s eyes. “Father. I said I do not want…”

And then I am a child again, cowering in my room. My father stands, the anger in his eyes unleashed into his words. It had been so long. I had been so obedient for so long. I had nearly forgotten what this was like. How I could have forgotten this, though, I don’t understand. “AMITY BLIGHT!”

I see the telltale pulse of a vein in his head, a sight I had not witnessed in years. “We are your parents, and you will NOT speak back to us.”

His shouted words drill deep into me, carving out all the courage I had held and nesting into the dark part of me that wanted nothing more than to get away from my parents. “What YOU want in this situation does not matter. You WILL do as we say.” 

As he finishes this final line he takes a moment to calm himself, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles in his vest. His voice returns to a normal volume, but the coldness in it strikes me as somehow more terrifying. “Do I make myself clear?” 

The echoes of his shouts bounce around in my skull, causing the room to feel as if it were shaking. I realize I’m physically shrunken into my chair, attempting to hide myself. My heart rate has increased tenfold, my hands instantly clammy. I’m on the verge of breaking, on the verge of falling in line, once again, but then she lends me her courage once more. I can see Luz on the Knee, battling the Slitherbeast; I see her in the library, standing up to Otabin; I can see her in the auditorium at Hexside, defeating the basilisk. Luz is a person of infinite courage, and I can feel some of that same courage finding its way back into my chest, empowering me to stand up for myself one final time. I hope that this will be the last because I don’t know if I have it in me to stand up a fourth time.

I stand abruptly, chair scooting back with the force. I’m on the verge of shouting myself, voice charging out of my raw throat with all the emotions bottled up inside me. “No! This isn’t how parents treat their children. You’re supposed to love me, care for me, respect me! Not treat me like one of your abominations that you can control at a whim.”

Alador and Odalia Blight, for the first time I can remember, look shocked at my outburst. Alador is staring at me as if seeing me for the first time. He draws himself to his full height, folding his hands in front of him. His voice is back to the quiet and precise winter wind from before. “Well, then. It appears we were too soft on you all these years. If you still do not understand your place in this family, then we will make you.” And before I can react, he spins a quick spell circle, and I feel my muscles go stiff. I’ve only experienced this once before, in a dueling class. He’s cast a paralysis spell on me. Father made a few more gestures with his hand, moving my body into the chair I had pushed back.

My father nods to my mother, who quickly composes herself, standing and walking to a different room. Moments later, she returns, our house stylist trailing behind her. My mother and father sit at the head of the table, watching as I am forcibly re-dyed. I cry for a while, but dyeing takes time. By the time the deed is done, I am as well. The paralysis fades, my eyes are raw, and I am dismissed with nothing more than a gesture.

I walk from the room, a picture-perfect Blight again. Amity Blight, Top Student, Daughter of Odalia and Alador Blight, Heir to the Blight Fortune, Future Head of the Emperor’s Coven. The perfect daughter, the perfect pawn. Apparently, I am not out of tears, as they begin to fall again in earnest as I walk into my room, cuddling up into a ball on my bed. My mind is clouded, blank, and pained, but even through all of that, a single thought solidifies. Luz. I need Luz.

I pull out my scroll and clumsily find her contact, pressing the call button. I wait for one… two… three rings before she picks up. “Amity?” She says, her immediate concern filling my chest with warmth, although I can’t stop the tears or clear the fluids from my nose. Again she speaks, this time the concern laced with a mild nervousness. She can obviously tell something is deeply wrong. “Amity, what happened?”

For a few seconds, I try to blubber past the tears and the congestion, but I quickly take some deep breaths, calming myself. I can hear her breathing on the other end of the line, calming me further. I start speaking. “I’ve never told anyone this. I don’t dye my hair of my own choice. My mother…” I feel a sob bubble up in my chest, momentarily cutting off my words. I explain why mother dyes my hair, the thoughts and feelings of so many years battling in my head. “But ever since I met you, Luz, I’ve had so many conflicted feelings.” I talk about my parents, I feel the years of betrayal and expectation bubbling in my chest like a pit of acid.

“And tonight, at dinner, my mother pointed out that my roots were showing, and I just.” Another pause, this time not a sob but a moment to gather herself. I explain what happened at dinner. It’s difficult, but hearing Luz’s voice has re-energized me, giving me the courage to tell her everything. “They forced me into it. My hair’s now redyed, a perfect” I practically spit the next words as if they are poison “Blight Green. And I just…”

Suddenly I hear the slam of wood against wood, and I look over in shock, seeing my father standing in the doorway, eyes furious. “AMITY BLIGHT. WHO ARE YOU SPEAKING WITH AT THIS HOUR?” I scream. It’s not like earlier. Earlier I had been in control, earlier it had been a scream I had almost expected. But now he comes here in my weakest moment when I am most vulnerable. And the roar from his throat terrifies me to my very core. “IT’S NOT THAT LOATHSOME HUMAN AGAIN, IS IT?” He stomps over to my bed, roughly grabbing my arm, holding the scroll. I try to pull back, to get away from this… this creature before me. But he is too strong. He holds me in place, pulling the scroll from my hand and magicing it away in an instant, surely dropping the call.

His other hand remains closed around my arm. He leans in close, his voice becoming a dangerous hiss. “Listen to me and listen well. You are a Blight, and you will act like one. You will respect your parent’s wishes, you will fall in line, and you will NEVER speak with that human  _ ever again. _ ” He releases my arm, practically throwing me back to the bed. He walks to the door, turning before closing it. “And if I hear from anyone that you’re fraternizing with that scum ever again, I will make sure it is removed from Hexside so quickly it’s head will spin.” And with that, he slams the door shut with a finality only my father can command.

I roll over, not even bothering to change or pull myself under my blankets. I merely curl up, the tears continuing to stream from my eyes. I don’t remember what happens first, the end of crying or the end of consciousness, but the next thing I know, it’s morning.

***Wednesday***

I slowly open my eyes, feeling the soft warmth of the sun on my skin. For a second, I almost let myself believe that the last thing I remember was a dream. I crawl out of bed, walking over to my vanity mirror, and the reality of the situation comes crashing in around me. There I am. Not Amity, friend of Luz, but Amity Blight, perfect daughter with perfect green hair. I almost want to curl back up in bed, but I know it will be worse if I do. I push myself through my morning routine, thinking about what to do about Luz.

_ I can’t see her again. I know that my father does not make idle threats. He really will get Luz kicked out of Hexside if I speak with her again. He was serious about Willow; he’s serious now. And I can’t be the person that ruins Luz’s dream for her. I would never be able to forgive myself. But I can’t do to her what I did to Willow. Even if I wanted to, there’s no way I could tell Luz to her face that I want to stop being friends with her. I’ll have to avoid her. Luz. The girl that doggedly pursued my friendship, even when I was mean to her. I just have to avoid her... forever.  _ I sigh, knowing that sounds almost impossible, but I have to try.  _ For Luz’s sake. She’ll probably hate me. But as long as she can keep working towards her dream, it’ll be worth it. I can’t- I won’t take that away from her.  _ I just need a little help.

I walk into the kitchen, the twins right where I expect them to be. “I need to know if there are any secret passages into Hexside, preferably around the back.”

The twins look at me with surprise, pride, and a little… worry? Two sets of golden eyes flick to my hair before Ed speaks up. “I mean, we definitely know enough secret passages to get you where you need to go. But why would you even need a secret passage, Mittens?”

Em looks closer at me, the concern in her eyes only growing. “Amity, is everything ok?” Emira rounds the counter, reaching a hand out towards me.

I jump away from her outstretched hand, heart rate jumping upwards. Emira looks confused and concerned but backs away. I take a couple of deep breaths, calming myself before speaking. “Look. I just need the information. I’ll do whatever. Homework for a week? Laundry for a month? Free pass to prank me for a year? I don’t care. Just tell me what I need to know.” I grit my teeth slightly, somewhat regretting the last offer.

Instead of jumping on the chance to humiliate me scot-free, the twins just look at each other, having one of their telepathic twin conversations. After a few moments, they turn back to me, Ed speaking again. “Behind the school, by the beastkeeping stables. Tap three times and say, ‘The owl requires sustenance’.“

Em continues. “It lets out near the cafeteria, but there’s a viewing slot to make sure no one’s outside. Be careful using it. You can go the other way with the same method.”

I look between the two of them, eyes narrow. “And what do I need to do for you two?”

They shake their heads in sync, Ed speaking for them. “Nothing at all, Amity. Just.” He pauses briefly, looking at Em. She finishes his thought. “Let us know if there’s anything else we can do for you.”

I blink a few times, looking between them. A tiny ball of warmth appears in my chest.  _ Maybe they aren’t the worst siblings I could have.  _ “Alright. Thanks, you two. I’ll…” I pause, biting my lip in thought. “I’ll think about it.” And I head out, preparing for a long day.

***

It is, in fact, a very long day. Between having to make a conscious effort to avoid Luz, dodging around corners or into classrooms anytime I see one of Luz’s friends, being weirdly jumpy at every small sound or bang or yell. By last period I am already mentally and emotionally drained. I’m on the way to my next class, feet automatically taking the well-worn path to the dueling grounds when a realization hits me. 

_ I share this class with Luz. I can’t go to Dueling. Luz is there. My plan won’t work if I have to see her in this class. She’ll ask too many questions. I’ll fail. She’ll get kicked out. She’ll never speak to me again. I have to do something. I can’t go to class. _ My breaths start coming in short, sharp gasps. It feels like no matter how deep a breath I take, my lungs won’t fill. I keep trying for deeper and deeper pulls, my eyes whipping around the halls for somewhere to hide. I spot the closest place of refuge, a restroom. I sprint inside, slamming the stall door shut and curling up on the seat lid.

I pull my legs up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. My breathing comes faster and faster as my thoughts swirl in my head, trying to figure a way out of this situation.  _ I can’t go to class. But if I skip class, my parents will find out. But if I go, they’ll hurt Luz. But if I don’t go, they’ll hurt me. What do I care? They’ve hurt me before; this is nothing new. This is for Luz. For Luz. _

That thought, that refrain, that promise swirls in my head and slowly grounds me. For Luz. Suddenly my eyes refocus, seeing the off-white of the floor beneath me, and I come back to reality. I realize I’m crying, feeling the cold streaks on my cheeks and hearing the gentle tap-tap-tap of them falling to the linoleum. 

I realize what’s happening. These don’t happen to me very often, but I know how to combat them. I look around me at the stall I’m in. 5 things I can see; the nearly emptied toilet paper dispenser, the stall door covered in graffiti, the cracked linoleum on the ground, the bright lights set into the ceiling, and my hands grasping tightly to my legs. Four things I can feel; the cold of the seat beneath me, the smooth fabric of my leggings, the wet tears on my cheeks, and the grinding of my teeth against each other. Three things I can hear; the slow dripping of a faucet, the winds whipping through the trees outside, and a distant explosion from one class or another. Two things I can smell; the disinfectant that must have been used recently to clean, and the smell of late summer drifting in through a cracked window. One thing I can taste; blood. I must have bit my tongue while I had been crying.

Finally calm, I continue my mantra. For Luz. And I realize even if I want to go to dueling class now, I’ll be marked late, so I may as well just stay here for the rest of the day anyway. It’s not like I have anything more to lose. And it will be ok. I’ll endure whatever punishment would come at home. For Luz.

I suddenly hear the door bang open, and the involuntary flinch nearly knocks me off the toilet before I manage to right myself. I hear two girls enter, gossiping about some inconsequential nonsense. But then I hear something that makes me tune in immediately.

“Oh, the human? In the healer’s office? Ha! Serves her right for thinking she could be a witch.”

“Yea, apparently she was real sloppy in dueling class, got hurt by one of her own spells.”

“Ha! What an idiot. Dumbass is too clumsy for her own good. Should go back to where she belongs.”

“Yea, apparently, she was bleeding the whole way to the healer’s office. Maybe she got a concussion and will have to spend time away from here.”

They might still be talking, but at this point, I don’t care. I burst from the stall, sprinting past them out the door. I don’t even think, my legs carrying me to the healer’s office.  _ Luz bleeding? Hurt? Badly? Why wasn’t I there? I could have helped her. I could have saved her. This didn’t have to happen. _

I turn the corner into the healing corridor before abruptly coming to a stop outside the door.  _ What am I doing? If I talk to her, she’ll be expelled. But I need to see her. I need to see if she’s ok, right? I need to know that she’s ok. _ I almost step into the office before I see the image of my father’s face, angry and red, breath hissing through his clenched teeth. ‘ _ And if I hear from anyone that you’re fraternizing with that scum ever again, I will make sure it is removed from Hexside so quickly it’s head will spin. _ ’ I can feel the tears returning to my eyes, and I know I can’t go in. I turn, sprinting out of Hexside, not even caring that the final bell hasn’t screamed yet.

***

I arrive home, slipping into the house quietly. Thankfully my parents don’t get home until long after the school day is over, so I’m able to run up to my room undisturbed. I sit at my desk and clear my head. One day down, far too many to go. But I can do this. For Luz.

I work on homework for some time, using the complexities of my abominations assignments to fill my mind with facts and figures instead of the intrusive thoughts I’ve been fighting back all day. Sometime later, I’m not exactly keeping track; I hear the door open downstairs and two pairs of feet starting to ascend the stairs. I hope they’ll walk past my room, but I hear them stop outside, and the door opens behind me. I continue my assignment, not bothering to acknowledge the twins.

“So Mittens.” Emira starts, her voice teasing. “What did you want the secret passage for?”

“Was it for a secret romantic rendezvous with your crush?” Edric adds, and I know exactly the shape of the smirks on their faces.

But I ignore them. I don’t rise to the bait. Not today. I continue working. I can feel the energy in the room change, from the expected playfulness the twins teasing usually brings to an almost uncomfortable tension as they take in my lack of response. 

I hear them walk further into the room, and I see them move into my peripheral vision. I’m sure my eyes are still puffy and red from crying, but I don’t care. I don’t want them to be here. I want them to leave.

“Amity.” Emira starts again, voice much softer this time. “What happened today?”

Edric thinks for a second, seeming to be trying to sift through memories of the last day. “What happened last night? After dinner?”

I continue ignoring them, staring intensely at my work. I’m not even writing anything at this point, just remaining pointedly silent. Hoping against hope that they’ll get the hint and leave. And apparently, they do. I feel a hand on each of my shoulders, and then they leave without another word. The simple act of reassurance almost brings tears to my eyes again, but I hold them in, at least until the twins leave the room.

The rest of the night passes in a blur—dinner, homework, nighttime routine. It feels as if my body is on autopilot, as if I am an outside observer watching someone else live my life. My mind is everywhere and nowhere at once, scrambling any coherent thoughts and pushing me towards the inevitable conclusion to my day. Before I know it, I’m in bed, the leaden feeling in my stomach growing all the stronger as I think about tomorrow. About avoiding Luz, again. Another night of pain, another night of tears.

***Thursday***

I wake up curled in a ball, pillow damp from drool and tears. I shiver, noticing my blanket is bundled up at the bottom of the bed as if I’m punishing myself by refusing the comfort. Or maybe it just reminds her too much of Luz’s hugs.  _ Wow. Didn’t know I was that deep. I mean. I did. But it’s harder when you can’t have it. _

I quickly prepare for the day and run downstairs, heading into the kitchen to grab some breakfast. The twins are there, as usual, looking up at me as I enter the room. They both look at me, concern evident in their eyes. I hope they won’t say anything.

Edric decides to speak up anyway. “Amity. Please. Tell us what’s wrong.”

Emira continues, voice quiet and understanding. “We know it’s something about Luz. You’ve been in a bad mood since two nights ago, and we know you avoided Luz at school yesterday.”

I flinch at the accusation, not because it’s wrong, but because I hadn’t heard her name in a few days. The leaden ball in my stomach becomes molten, searing my insides, reminding me not only how much this decision hurts me but hurts her as well. I don’t say anything in response, just move over to the counter and put some bread in the toaster. I try my best to ignore them, to just go about my day.

I hear them move towards me, and I can feel their hands on my shoulders again. “Amity.” Emira. “Please.” Edric.  _ I can’t tell them. They can’t know. They can’t know how horrible I am. They can’t know what I’ve done. They wouldn’t get it. _

I turn, tearing myself from their grip. I stalk out of the house, the pop of my toast far beyond my hearing.

***

Today is easier. I have no classes with Luz, and our schedules are so mismatched that I can easily avoid her. Not that it’s easy. It still hurts. The ball in my stomach gets heavier with every step, the molten hatred and shame roiling in my chest. I’m almost to my next class when I feel a hand on my arm, and I’m yanked sideways into an empty classroom. I turn around, confused, before my eyes land on Willow. The look in her eyes is… complicated. Sadness, concern, but mostly anger. I thought this might happen, but I had hoped it wouldn’t, just like I had been hoping in vain for many things over the last few days. “Willow…”

She cuts me off with a glare, gritting her teeth and taking a deep breath before speaking. Her voice is tight, quiet, holding in the anger evident on her face. “Amity. I know what you’re doing. I talked to the twins; I know what happened at your house. I talked to Luz; I know that she’s hurting. At least when you did this to me, you had the respect to tell me to my face. But to do this again? To Luz of all people? Do you have  _ any _ idea how much she’s hurting right now? Because of what? Some more bullshit from your parents? Your pride? The Blight Name?” She spits the last sentence as if it’s poison.

I’m crying, again, of course I am. Hearing all these things in my head has been bad enough. But hearing them from Willow, hearing that Luz is hurting, that I’m causing her pain. It breaks me again. But I have to keep going. For Luz. For Luz? “Willow, you know how powerful they are. You know what they’re like. Father said he’d get Luz kicked out of Hexside. I couldn’t end her dreams like that…”

I’m cut off again by Willow, her voice sharp as ice and just as cold. “Her dreams? Amity Blight, are you dense? Do you see the way she looks at you? Do you see how much happier she is with you than any of her other friends? Sure she’s training to be a witch, and that’s great. But you are the single best friend she has ever had, one of the few friends she has EVER had, and you just ghosting her like this is hurting her more than anything your parents could ever do.” Willow takes a deep breath, the anger on her face evident, the years of anger she feels towards me finally being unleashed when she saw me pulling the same thing on Luz. 

“Amity. I understand. Well, no, I don’t. We both know how you feel about Luz, and I honestly don’t understand how you can let your parents get in the way of that, of having real friends that care about you and like you for who  _ you _ are, not who your parents are. But I get it. Parents can be a lot. Parents can feel like the end-all-be-all. But they aren’t. You need to stand up for yourself. You need to stand up for Luz. You need to be the person that decides, for yourself, if you want to be happy or not. Other people can help you, but if you don’t let them, then you’ll sink right back into the hole of cowardice and self-hatred you were in just a couple of weeks ago.”

Willow pauses again, a lot of the anger seeming to leave her features. She walks over, putting a single comforting hand on my shoulder. Her eyes open, and while there is still a hint of anger, there is also compassion, and concern, and hope. “If I know Luz, she’ll find you first. But maybe, please, just think about going to her first. You both deserve to be happy, and  _ I know  _ you both make each other happier just by being in each other’s lives. So please, just think about it. Ok?” And with that, she gives me a hug, hands me a handkerchief, and walks out of the room.

I’m in shock. I don’t know what to think. I hear the bell scream, but I don’t move. I eventually sink to the floor; holding the piece of cloth limply in my hands as my tears fall again.  _ Willow is right. Of course, she is. She’s Willow. I’m hurting Luz; I’m hurting me; this can’t be good for either of us. But it has to be. She has to be ok. I can’t let them. But We. I. We can’t. I can’t. She can’t. Luz. _

I stay that way for some time; the final scream rousing me from my stupor. I wipe away the final tears, standing up and walking to the secret entrance. I need to think about what Willow said. I need time, away from school, away from the twins, away from Luz.

The wall dissolves in front of me, and I look up. I jump, eyes blown wide, freezing in place.  _ She can’t be here. Not now. Not yet.  _ But she is. Of course, she is. Because she’s Luz Noceda.

“Hey, Amity.”

***

I walk towards Blight Manor, eyes still red, but a small smile on my face now. So maybe I’d been a little paranoid. Maybe I’d hurt her. But, somewhat selfishly, it had felt wonderful to have Luz hold me like that. To be told it was okay to be her friend. To know that no matter what, Luz would be there for me. Maybe it’s not so crazy to think that Luz likes me back.  _ Especially after that kiss. _ A blush creeps onto my cheeks just from the thought of it.

My smile sours as I remember. Certainly, I’m glad to be Luz’s friend. Certainly, I’m excited to maybe confess my crush to her soon. But my parents are still an issue. They still want me to have nothing to do with her. If only I can convince them that it’s a good idea to be friends with her. Obviously they’ll never approve of us in a relationship, but if I can convince them to let me be friends with her, it will make things a lot easier.

The remainder of my trip is spent in thought, and by the time I arrive at the gate to Blight Manor, I have most of a plan held together in my head. I know my parents won’t be home for a little bit still, so I run up to my room, preparing some quick things for my plan.

Some amount of time later, I hear the front doors open. Mother’s sharp voice echoes through the house, demanding for servants already standing by to hurry up and take their things. I also know they will spend the time before dinner in my father’s study, which will be my best chance to talk to them both. I wait to hear the deep thud of the study door and then steel my nerves, gathering my materials and walking down to the first floor.

I knock lightly but firmly and wait for a response. The servants would never disrupt my parents during this time, so they know it must be one of their children. After a few moments, my mother’s face appears out of the door. She looks confused, and I can see the tiniest bit of anger peek out of her expression before she returns it to its polite facade. “Hello, Amity. I hope you have a good reason for disturbing us. You know we spend this time doing important things.”

I nod, swallowing hard to attempt to soften my rapidly drying throat. “Of course I do, Mother,” I speak in the politest and most deferent tone I have. “I had a proposition for the two of you that I think would be of interest. A way to gain some more power and notoriety for the Blight name.”

One of my mother’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. She inspects my face, an attempt to divine my true intentions, but she has taught me to have the best poker face on the Boiling Isles. She nods once. “Very well. Let us hear this proposition.” She opens the door further, stepping back to allow me into the study.

Father looks up as I approach, a cold inquisitiveness settling on his face. Mother steps around the desk, standing over my father’s right shoulder. They present an intimidating image, to be sure, but I know what has to be done. I wait for a moment before my father gestures for me to say what I came here for. I settle my nerves once again, grounding myself in the warmth I had felt earlier today, and begin speaking. “Father, Mother, I understand that my actions two nights ago were improper and not befitting of a Blight. As you said, you are my parents, and I should respect your decisions.” They don’t say anything, merely waiting for me to get to the point.

“However, I feel that I have misrepresented my interest in the human. I believe I have found a way to use my connection to her to advance our family name.” They both seem skeptical, but father gestures for me to continue. “You see, the human is not only learning a unique type of magic, a magic that may be of interest to the emperor, but she is also living with the Owl Lady. It might be possible if I were to spend more time with the human, for me to feed information about the Owl Lady’s whereabouts and activities to the Emperor.”

They stay quiet for a moment, seemingly thinking through my proposition. Father speaks up, as is usually the case in his study. “This certainly seems like it may be of use, yes. Do you have any information you could offer us now? As proof that your intent is true.” This is what I’ve been waiting for.

I nod, pulling out some sheets of paper. I had seen Luz working on glyphs enough to know the general ideas of how they work and how to draw them convincingly. I have drawn some glyphs similar to Luz’s plant and fire glyphs but missing a line so they’ll be unable to activate properly. Father bids me to come closer so he can look them over. As I approach, I begin explaining what I’m holding. “These are some of the glyphs the human uses. I have been studying them with her, and, as you know, I have a perfect visual memory. It appears that there is something special about the human that allows her and her alone to activate these glyphs. These are two of her more powerful spells, a glyph for plants and a glyph for fire.” I hand the glyphs to my father to inspect and continue speaking. “I have even attempted to activate some glyphs that she had drawn, assuming perhaps it was something about the creator of the glyphs that give them magic. But still, they would not activate, so it seems it is something about the human herself that causes their activation.”

Father remains silent, studying the papers in front of him. Through the cold, calculating stare, I see a hint of curiosity as he stares at the images. Even if he is always a bit cold, his curiosity and thirst for knowledge are where I had originally received mine.  _ I wish he showed that side of himself more these days. _ My father turns to my mother, speaking softly with her. He then turns back to me, placing the papers in a portfolio he pulls from his desk. “Very well, Amity. You may continue to see this human, but we expect weekly reports on both her advancements in magic, your understandings of her abilities, and the activities of the Owl House inhabitants.” He spins a quick spell circle, my scroll appearing in his hand. “Your scroll.” He holds it out to me. “So, you may communicate with the human.” He looks down at his portfolio, a pen poised above it. He looks up at me. “What is the name of this human?”

I suppress the delight in my chest, maintaining my neutral expression.  _ I can’t believe that worked! _ “Luz. Luz Noceda.” Father nods, labeling the portfolio with Luz’s name. Without a word, he dismisses me, going back to his work.

As soon as I am far enough away from the office, I break out into a huge smile, my chest filling with warmth. I sprint up the stairs to my room.  _ I really truly can not believe that worked! _ And with that, I lie down on my bed, pulling out my scroll, and send Luz a message.

**Amity[10:34 PM]:** Hey Luz. Sorry for taking so long to text you. It took a bit of convincing to get my scroll back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary of first section:  
> Odalia attempts to tell Amity to dye her hair, Amity refuses, the twins defend her and get sent out of the room, Alador yells at Amity and when Amity doesn’t back down he paralyzes her to force her to get her hair dyed. She goes to her room after the dying and calls Luz, the scene from the end of Chapter 4 plays out from Amity’s end, with the threat against Luz mentioned at the end of Chapter 6.
> 
> Summary of the Anxiety Attack Section:  
> Amity realizes she has Dueling Class with Luz and starts to have a panic attack. She locks herself in a bathroom stall and as she calms down(using the 54321 senses method), two girls come in and start gossiping about Luz being in the hospital wing. Amity runs to the hospital wing to check on Luz before remembering her father’s threat. She leaves school.
> 
> Well that was quite a chapter huh! I PROMISE, FOR REAL THIS TIME, that next chapter is going to be full of mostly Lumity fluff and cuteness.
> 
> Also, on the topic of possible plot threads in the chapter involving the parents, I will be pulling on those but not in this work. I wanted to set up my version of them but this story is focused on Luz and her insecurities. But! I will be writing a sequel to this story where I’ll explore Amity and her insecurities, where I will be more closely inspecting that relationship. I can’t make any promises yet on when that’ll be started, but it will happen!
> 
> We’re really getting close to the end of this work though! Only 3 more chapters to go, and they’re gonna be some GOOD ones if I do say so myself. We’re finally going to get to see what plan Eda and the twins have been working on soon.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated, thanks so much for all your support, I love this community so much <3<3<3


	8. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azura Book Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Thanks so much for everyone’s support on the last chapter, it was kind of experimental and spur of the moment, so I’m glad so many of you seemed to enjoy it! Now I keep promising you fluff and I’m finally here to(mostly) deliver! This chapter is just chock full of it, just fluffy as heck. It’s certainly not immune to a little bit of angst as apparently I am just incapable of writing angstless chapters, but it’s very minimal!
> 
> Thanks as always to my two Beta Readers, Goldminer and RainbowBuddy. Ya’ll are the best :D
> 
> Not a lot of notes on the actual chapter otherwise, so enjoy!

I almost knock King off my sleeping bag as I spring out of bed. My last few hours of dreamless sleep have given me renewed energy, and the knowledge that I’ll see Amity again soon brings the biggest smile to my face. I grab my scroll from the floor and check my messages. Amity seems to have been up for a while now, and there is a message from her waiting for me.

**Amity[6:02 AM]: Good Morning, Luz**

**Luz[7:13 AM]: Gooooooood Morning Amity! I’m so excited to see you again today, and so VERY excited for AZURA BOOK CLUB!!!!!! :D**

I start getting ready for the day; brushing my teeth, putting on my uniform, finding something edible in the kitchen for breakfast. The whole time I’m texting Amity, all of the negativity and distraught from the past few days gone.  _ Well. Not all of it. I still want to talk to her about her hair… _ But that’s a concern for later. I can’t do anything about that without being there in person, and I need to talk to her about it first.

Even through text, it’s so easy to talk to Amity, so easy to carry on a conversation about nothing, just enjoying communicating with each other and knowing the other is just as excited to be talking as you are.  _ Well. Maybe as excited.  _ I can feel the fire in my chest, threatening to spread to my cheeks anytime Amity says something cute. If I hadn’t been sure about this before, I am now. I have a crush on Amity Blight, and I need to figure out how to tell her.

We meet on the road to Hexside, and I immediately pull her into a tight hug. It’s a different hug from the ones we had shared yesterday. Those had been about comfort. They had been about proving to Amity that I was there for her and that I will protect her. Today’s hug is a hug of jubilation, of greeting, of happiness to be near someone. Amity eagerly returns the hug, and when we both step back, I notice she has a blush covering her cheeks that I can feel mirrored on mine. We’re both grinning goofily, just happy for things to be somewhat back to normal.

We continue to Hexside, walking close enough for our hands to touch every so often, a comfortable and warm silence surrounding us as we feel no need to talk. We’re just enjoying each other’s presence, knowing that we both have each other’s backs no matter what. That knowledge, this closeness, it makes the fire in my chest grow stronger.  _ Is this what it’s like to be in love? To have someone you’re so close to that just being near them makes you happy? To… to have a girlfriend?  _ My cheeks flush darker at the thought, and I think back to my conversation with Willow yesterday. ‘But maybe try looking closer. Read further. I don’t think her behavior is out of anger or embarrassment. At the very least, she’s not embarrassed by  _ you _ .’

Just like I did yesterday behind the school, I inspect Amity’s face. Well, I try to, but I keep looking away after she catches me staring. And I swear when I look back, she does the same, jerking her head to the side, blush blossoming further along her ears. She doesn’t seem mad, or disappointed, or sad, or any negative emotions. The only things I can see and feel radiating off of her are happiness and joy; the same things I’m feeling.

By this point, we arrive at Hexside and, having dawdled a little in our morning walk, hear the first bell scream. Our momentary bubble shatters, and we quickly give our goodbyes, parting ways towards our respective classes. Today feels like it’s going to be a good day.

***

I sit down in Ethics class, taking out my notebook and flipping to a new page. Then I remember: at the end of class on Wednesday the professor had promised we’d talk more about the ‘place’ of the humans in the Boiling Isles. I shiver just the tiniest amount, deciding I’d just get the notes from someone else today.

As the professor starts lecturing, I keep my head down, doodling in my notebook. I block out the whispers around me and think of Amity.  _ Amity. _ Just thinking about the girl brings a smile to my face. She really is amazing, and it’s still so hard sometimes to believe she’s my friend. That I have any friends. But I remember Eda and Willow. I remember our conversations, and their words of love and encouragement. I do have friends. I do have people who care about me. And Amity Blight is one of them, the best friend I’ve ever had.

I zone out for most of the class daydreaming about Amity. I find myself thinking about our walk to school this morning and the question that had occurred to me about girlfriends. Is that what I want Amity to be? My girlfriend? I certainly have a crush on her, and she’s very pretty, and I would love to be able to hold her hand all the time, and maybe kiss her… My face flares red at the thought, and I notice my notebook is covered in small doodles of Amity’s face in various expressions. I sigh, a small smile finding its way back onto my face.  _ Yes. Yes, that is what I want. I need to tell her at some point. Not tonight. Not at book club, but soon. I need to make a plan. _

Soon enough, the scream of the bell jolts me from my reverie, and I just catch the professor telling us our assignment as I pack up to go to my next class. I hope Amity sits with us at lunch today.

***

I pop out of my usual secret entrance near the cafeteria and wait eagerly. I am a little earlier than I usually am; I’m just so excited to see if she’s here. Watching the time on my scroll, right on time, I see Amity turn the corner at the end of the hall and smile when she sees me. I perform a little victory twirl, lips pulled wide in a smile and Amity giggles softly at my antics.

She falls into step next to me, and we slide back into our regular routine as if nothing had ever changed. She speaks up as we start walking into the lunchroom. “You seem excited about something today.”

I laugh at the statement as if it should be obvious what I am excited about. “Well, of course I am. I know it’s only been two days since we last had lunch together, but I…” I pause, the lightest blush spreading across my cheeks. “I missed you, Amity. You’re my best friend, and it was weird, having lunch without you.” 

The other girl’s cheeks erupt in a blush as well, but she smiles back at me, nodding in understanding. “Yea. Yea, I definitely know what you mean. It is good to be back.”

We stare unabashedly at each other for a few moments before our bubble is popped again, this time by Gus. “Amity! You’re back!” He jumps up, waving his flags in excitement. 

Amity laughs at his excitement, nodding. “I am. For good this time.” She looks at Willow at the same time I do, and I notice Willow has a guarded look on her face that is hard to read. “And, I’m sorry.” She seems to direct that towards Willow the most, and Willow merely nods before going back to her lunch.  _ I wonder what that’s about? _

Lunch proceeds as normal, Gus and I taking up most of the conversation, Amity and Willow interjecting when they want to. At some point, I remember I want to mention something to Amity, so I turn to her once we’re both finished eating. “Hey Amity, what do you think about Skara?”

Amity looks at me for a second, confusion creasing her brow. “Skara? Why do you ask?”

“Oh well, it’s just, on Wednesday when I was…” I pause, biting my lip. “In Bard class, she noticed that I was feeling a little down, and she came up to me after class and offered to talk. She seemed really genuine, but I really don’t know her that well. I wanted your opinion of her.”

Amity nods in understanding, her eyes softening slightly. I see her eyes flick over my shoulder, presumably to Boscha’s table. “Yea. Skara’s always been the girl I liked the most in that group. She can be a little much sometimes, but she is the most genuine of Boscha’s cronies. She’s definitely been the person I felt the most connected to, and she’s actually helped me in some vulnerable moments in the past.” Amity nods, seemingly thinking back. “If she offered help to you, I do think it was genuine. She’s not exactly a fan of Boscha, but neither was I, and it took someone like you to pull me away from her.”

I nod, taking a peek over my shoulder to give the silver-haired witch a look. She certainly puts on an air of constant upbeat energy, but the longer I look, the more I see the same thing I saw in Amity all those weeks ago. The look of a facade, the look of pain, the look of someone that’s doing everything they can just to keep it together day by day. I turn back to Amity. “Well then, maybe we can be that for Skara too. It was really nice of her to try and be there for me. I think she deserves to have some friends that actually care about her well-being, ya know?”

Amity smiles at me, nodding. She takes a quick look around our little group and nods more firmly. “I think I know exactly what you mean.”

***

Amity and I arrive at Dueling class together today, and I’m very excited. Ever since Monday, I’ve been dying for a rematch with Amity, and now that we’re both actually in class again, I’m hopeful we’ll get paired up.

We line up in our regular spot, and the teacher calls out pairs for the day. “Willow and Celine. Gus and Mattholomule. Amity and Luz.” As I hear our names called out, a grin breaks across my face, and once we’re sent to our dueling circles, I pump my fists in the air.

Amity sees me celebrating and smirks. “You seem real excited to lose, Noceda.”

I gasp in mock offense, hand flying to my chest. “Me? Lose? That doesn’t seem likely. Not after a very generous benefactor decided to grant me a book of glyphs.” I grin at her, eyebrows wiggling.

Amity scoffs, the teasing smile remaining on her face. “Please, you had that book on Monday, and I still beat you. What makes you think today will be any different?” We reach our circle and move to stand on opposite sides, playful banter flying across the field.

I wait a few seconds for the best dramatic timing. I see the teacher preparing to start the matches. “Well. Today I have…” Just as the teacher calls for the matches to begin, I slip a piece of paper from my sleeve, activating it. “Some new tricks up my sleeve!” What looked to be a blue bolt of lightning leaps from my hand, coursing towards Amity. Amity, of course, already has an abomination rising from the ground and is able to block the bolt. But as the bolt makes contact, the lightning seems to course through the abomination’s body, and instead of shocking it, it freezes the mass solid. I jump up and down, laughing excitedly. “Ha! I can’t believe that actually worked! Combined glyphs!” I whoop one more time before remembering I’m in a duel and produce more glyphs, running to the side as Amity sends a blast of fire towards me.

“Alright, so you got some fancy new magic which you absolutely need to show me later.” My lips curl into a smirk. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not still the top witch of our class!” As I run around the outside of the circle, I see Amity draw two spell circles at once, and the abomination sludge disappears from its icy enclosure, spewing out of the second circle to reform and block my progress. “Abomination, Seize!” Amity declares, and her abomination lurches towards me, much faster than I expect.

I tuck to the side, rolling away from the abomination’s grasping hands, and spring up on the other side of the ice sculpture. “Wow, this is really a nice sculpture, ya know? Maybe we should get into the ice sculpture business!” Amity is momentarily stunned by my reference to, apparently, yet another human thing that the Boiling Isles doesn’t have. She quickly snaps out of her confusion as I send a pair of vines towards her. She uses a wind spell to launch herself over the vines, landing behind her abomination. “Really? You guys don’t have ice sculptures here? UGH, and here I thought y’all were…” I produce another glyph from my sleeve, hitting Amity’s abomination with another icy bolt. “Cool,” I conclude smoothly, shooting finger guns and a wink in Amity’s direction.

Amity seems stunned by the gesture, cheeks flaring red, and I take advantage of the distraction. I use a thorn vault to launch myself above Amity, hoping to get behind her so she can’t as easily hide behind her abomination. I land in a roll, springing to my feet and turning, a wind glyph already in my hand. As I turn, I don’t see Amity or her abomination anywhere, and the rumbling beneath me is my only warning. I tuck into a half roll, using the gusts from the wind glyph in my hand to push me away from the massive abomination fist that bursts from the ground where I had just been standing. I whip around and see Amity standing there, a small smirk on her face. “You’re not the only one with some new tricks, Noceda,” she says with a wink, disappearing beneath the ground in a swirl of abomination goo.

I run to the center of the circle, looking around and listening closely in an attempt to discern Amity’s location. Again the rumble beneath my feet is the only warning I get, and I quickly sidestep, pulling my final combo-glyph from my sleeve. Amity is halfway out of the ground when I activate it, still ensconced in abomination goo. My spell hits the goo, and in an instant, it’s frozen solid. Amity is trapped within, her arms unable to produce spell circles to get herself out.

Amity blinks in surprise, mouth slightly ajar. Cheers erupt around us as, unbeknownst to us, most of the class had been watching our duel with interest. The teacher approaches with a broad smile on her face. “Well, well, well, Ms. Noceda! Taking down Amity all by yourself, truly an impressive feat. I’ve seen Amity take on three opponents all on her own.” I smile warmly at the teacher, my cheeks running a little hot with the praise. “An A for both of you today; that was truly an impressive display!” The teacher turns to Amity, casting a quick circle to clear away the ice and goo. “And you might want to watch out, Amity. If you’re not careful, Ms. Noceda may take that Top Student badge away from you one day.”

Amity looks at me, a smirk cutting across her whole face. She walks over, extending her hand. I shake it, and then she pulls me closer. “Alright, Noceda, I’m impressed to be sure, but that’s the first and last time you get the better of me.” We both smile widely at each other, basking in the joy and connection of the moment.

The rest of the class goes well, and true to her word, Amity beats me every single time.

***

Amity and I arrive at the romance section, Amity checking the area before pulling the book to open her hideaway. We quickly slip inside before anyone notices, making sure the shelf closes behind us. We set our school bags down, Amity moving to sit at her desk while I flop down onto one of the beanbag chairs. I chew my lip for a moment, eyes drawn to Amity’s hair, which is now a much deeper green than it was earlier this week. I’m about to speak up when I see her shift around in her seat to face me. “Luz. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

She’s wringing her hands, and while she won’t look at me, I can see the anxiety in her eyes. She’s been in such a good mood all day; what changed?  _ Is she mad about Dueling class? _ “Of course, Amity, you know you can talk to me about anything.”

She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a few seconds. She opens them, finally looking at me. “So. I got my scroll back. But to get it back, I had to…” She pauses, biting her lip. “Make some promises to my parents. I lied to them, and I really feel terrible about what I did because I kind of…” She pauses, eyes moving away from mine. “I used you to get my scroll back, in a way, but it was to be able to talk to you again, and I just…” I can see the fear and worry in her eyes. She’s scared she screwed up, that she’s done something wrong, or that she’s hurt me again.

I stand up, walking over to her and kneel down, putting a comforting hand on her knee. “Hey. Just tell me what happened. We can deal with whatever happened, right?” I give her leg a small squeeze, and she looks back into my eyes. “We can do this together.”

Amity smiles softly at me, nodding confidently at my statement. “So. Ok. From the beginning. You already know that they threatened you. That if they caught me with you again, they would get you thrown out of Hexside. Well, I found a way to get them to allow us to hang out without worrying about that anymore. The only thing is, I promised to give them…” She pauses, taking a steadying breath before continuing. “I promise to give them information. On you, your magic, on the Owl Lady. Of course, I wouldn’t actually! I gave father some of your glyphs, but I left a line out. He can’t activate them. I told him only you’re able to activate your glyphs. He says I’m allowed to continue hanging out with you, so we don’t have to hide our friendship at all. But obviously I understand that I may have… Overstepped a boundary. Making that decision on my own without asking you first. So I wanted you to know. So that maybe we can work together, to give them information that is close to correct but not actually damaging in any way.”

I sit back on the ground, lips pursed and brow furrowed in thought. “Well. I don’t really know what I was expecting you to tell me, but it certainly wasn’t that.” I’m not sure how to feel about this. I can understand why Amity did it, and I’m certainly happy that we can be friends for real now without worrying about her parents. But to tell her parents she can feed them information on Eda and me, that just doesn’t feel right. I look up at Amity, and I can see the nerves getting to her. I sigh, chewing softly on my bottom lip. “I’ll be honest, Amity. I’m not super happy about this. Don’t get me wrong; I’m happy to be able to hang out with you. You’re my best friend, and getting to see you always brightens my day. But doing that, telling them you’ll report on us, telling them that you’re just using me. I mean. I know it’s not true. It still hurts, though.” I say most of this to the ground, and when I look up, I can see Amity is on the verge of tears again.

I reach out, taking one of her hands in mine. “But what’s done is done. I do appreciate you telling me, and I do want to help you. But I don’t want to help you with just these reports.” I grip her hand tighter, but not painfully. I look down at the hand in mine, determination in my voice. “I want to help you be happier. To be better. To do what  _ you _ want, not what your parents want.” I gently stroke the back of her hand with my thumb, looking back up into her eyes. “You’re an amazing person, Amity and you deserve to be happy. If I can help you, then I will, whether it be with these reports or whatever else you need.” I smile warmly at her, hoping to banish the tears I can still see gathering in the corner of her eyes. “I think it was a good plan, by the way. I just wish you’d talked to me about it first.”

Amity nods, using her free hand to wipe away a single tear from her cheek. “Of course. I promise, no more schemes without consulting you first.” As she says that, a small smirk grows on her face. “Assuming, of course, you can keep the same promise.”

I mock gasp, placing a hand on my chest. “Amity, are you insinuating what I think you are? That I, Luz Noceda, act without thinking?” I feign offense for a second longer as Amity is barely holding back a laugh. “Because you’re absolutely correct, I never claimed not to be a hypocrite.” At that, we both break out laughing, much of the day’s earlier light energy returning to us. It feels good to laugh with Amity again. I know it was only two days, but still. She’s such a joy to be around, someone that I always enjoy spending time with, someone that makes me happier than any of my other friends.  _ Dios, I am crushing so hard on this girl. _

As we settle down from our laughing fit, I bite my lip slightly, glancing between Amity’s face and hair. She seems to notice my concern, locking eyes with me. “Luz? Is something wrong?”

I sigh, looking down at my fidgeting hands. “Nothing’s wrong, exactly I just- I also had something I wanted to talk to you about, but we just got laughing again, and I didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere.” 

I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up to see an understanding smile on Amity’s face. “Luz, I just dumped what is basically a huge betrayal of friendship on you. I think you’re allowed to do whatever you want to the mood.”

I laugh softly before taking a deep breath. “Ok. I wanted to ask about your hair. If that’s ok?”

Amity’s face falls at that, as I expected, and she takes a moment to think. She nods her head slowly before looking back up at me, speaking softly. “Yea, I can understand why you maybe didn’t want to bring that up. But I don’t mind talking about it. Not with you, I don’t.” She gives me her warmest smile, the small one that always makes my heart blaze in my chest.

I nod, shifting to sit criss-cross in front of her. “So you said it’s not your choice to dye it. But you also said it’s kind of grown on you, and you think it reminds you of Azura, and you like that I like it. I guess I’m just curious, if you could choose whether to have it be dyed or natural, what would it be?” I pause for a second but add in before she can answer. “Just, to be clear, of what I’ve seen of your natural hair color, I think that’s also really nice looking.” I smile at her, hoping to come across as unbiased, and I see a small blush creep onto her cheeks.

She thinks about it for a few seconds before answering. “Well, I would probably let it grow out. As you said, there are reasons why I like the green, but it has so much baggage to it that if I ever think about it too hard, it gives me chills.” She pauses, fidgeting with her top lip.  _ A thing I’m definitely not noticing because I’m definitely not looking at her lips. _ “I think if I could grow it out and have my brown roots with green on the ends, I would like that. Because while my mother is…” She makes a face. “A lot. My siblings are still very good to me. I guess I’d almost want to try reclaiming the color, make my hair a mix of the two halves of me. The green for the bright top student, proud of her accomplishments. And the bright auburn for the inner dork I truly am.” She looks back at me, staring into my eyes for a few seconds before continuing almost too quietly to hear. “Besides, my natural hair color reminds me of your eyes.”

I blink, she blinks, hurricane-force winds are created from the sheer amount of blinking in the room right now. We both blush a deep red, and I do the only thing I can think to do: change the subject. “So, Azura, huh? Why don’t we do some reading? I feel like it’s time to read. We should read, here in this library, with books, and words, and librarians?” I turn away from Amity, the blush refusing to leave my face. I fumble with my bag for a few moments, finally pulling out Azura 6. I take a few deep breaths, trying to get myself under control. I turn back around, randomly flipping through the book. “Ok, why don’t we do…” I stop my flipping, holding down the page with my finger. “This scene.” I read the first few lines on the page. The blinking resumes. “Right. The battle with Queen Bee-atrice. The battle where Azura and Hecate team up at the tree of destiny. The battle where they confess their undying love for one another. Yep. A totally normal passage in this totally normal fantasy book that we both love.”

I look up at Amity, whose mouth has joined in on the whole open-and-shut business her eyes are up to. I don’t think she’s going to stop any time soon, so I just start performing, hoping to snap her out of it. I draw myself up, getting into the mindset of Azura. I think of my Azura voice for a few seconds, settling into the role. And then I begin. “Hecate! We need to head to the Tree of Destiny. If we attempt to fight Bee-atrice in the forest, we’ll stand no chance!” I look at Amity expectantly, hoping to coax the next line out of her.

Hearing my Azura voice seems to have done the trick as she does stand up, standing into her Hecate persona, her voice pitching down into Hecate's low alto. “You go ahead, Azura! I’ll provide covering fire.” She doesn’t even need to look at the book. We both love this scene so much we have practically memorized it. Amity turns, making pew pew noises with her mouth as I fake-run away from invisible enemies.

We continue acting out the scene; Azura and Hecate burst out onto the cliff surrounding the Tree of Destiny and, as Queen Bee-atrice’s horde flies out to surround them, the pair stand back to back throwing out spell after spell. Eventually, the only creature left is Queen Bee-Atrice themself. The witches stand shoulder to shoulder and, with their staves held aloft for the ultimate combo, they defeat Bee-Atrice in a final blast of magical energy.

As the room’s energy comes down, Amity and I stand back to back then collapse to the ground, just as Azura and Hecate do. I turn my head, my eyes locking with Amity’s. I speak, in Azura’s voice. “It’s good to be fighting with you after all these years, Hecate.”

Amity nods, speaking in Hecate’s voice. “It is. I’ve always respected you as a witch. It’s good to have that kind of firepower pointed away from me for once.” We both laugh, sinking slightly into one another. 

Amity’s head falls into the crook of my neck, and my hand goes up to her hair, stroking it softly. Azura speaks. “It’s not just the fighting I enjoy doing with you, Hecate.” Hecate looks up, eyes shining with curiosity. “It’s everything. The parties, the commission meetings, just walking through a park at lunchtime.”

Hecate smiles warmly up at Azura. “The team dinners, the quiet moments in my library, the brokering of peaces.”

The two move closer, Hecate’s arms snaking around Azura’s waist. Azura soothingly pets her hair, the pink petals of the Tree of Destiny falling softly around them. Azura looks up at the tree, watching as a single petal lands on the back of her hand. “You know, Hecate; it’s said that when a petal from the Tree of Destiny lands on you while you are embraced with another, it means you are in the arms of your soulmate.”

Hecate chuckles softly, looking warmly up at Azura. “You really needed a tree to tell you that, Azura?” The witch smiles coyly up at the other. Amity speaks, “I thought it would be obvious how in love with you I am.”

I stare at Amity, entranced by her eyes. I almost say it right there, the intimacy of the moment pushing me towards confessing on the spot. But before I have the chance, Amity realized she had broken character, and the intimacy suddenly turns against me as she stumbles backward on her hands and feet, entire face flushed red. I realize what had happened and laugh awkwardly, rubbing one hand over the back of my neck. “Well, that sure was fun. We should do that again sometime, just maybe with a different scene.”

Amity nods quickly, stuttering out a few words as she calms down. “Y-yea. Fun. Yes. Again. Different. Scene.” She swallows heavily, taking deep breaths to calm herself. I stand up, walking over to my bag to place the book inside while conveniently giving Amity time to cool off. I fiddle with the straps for a few extra seconds before putting it on. I check the time, just as I suspected, it's pretty late.

I turn back to Amity, who’s standing now. “Hey, so we should probably get going. But this was fun, same time next week?”

Amity nods, and I turn to open the shelf to leave. Before I can, I hear her speak up. “Wait!” I turn around and see Amity look more nervous than… Well, ever. I really don’t think I’ve ever seen Amity this tense. I’m about to ask what’s wrong when she continues speaking. “Do you... Are you free tomorrow afternoon? My parents are out of town for the weekend, so I was hoping we could hang out. But I don’t know if you’re doing errands for Eda or whatever, but I was hoping, if you weren’t, if you wanted to hang out, with me.” She claps her mouth shut tight, looking at me expectantly.

I think about my schedule for tomorrow. I do have to help Eda operate the stand in the market, but that’s in the morning. “Yea, yea, I should be free around 4, I think. I’d love to hang out with you more, Amity. Should I meet you at the manor or…”

Amity shakes her head. “No, no, no. I’ll meet you at the Owl House. 6 PM. Okay?”

I nod, still not sure why Amity is so nervous. I smile back at her anyway. “Alright, that sounds great! I can’t wait!” My smile widens, and I pull her into a tight hug before turning and opening the entrance to the hideout. We both head out of the library, going our separate ways. Today was exactly what I needed after the past two days. I walk back to the Owl House, a skip in my step and a smile on my face.

***

**_With Eda..._ **

I cut it close, almost not getting home before Luz. I see her walking through the forest as I fly over. I head around to the back door to make sure I can make it in without her seeing me. Just as I get the back door closed, I hear the front one open, and Luz greets me before saying something about needing to do homework. I chuckle softly at that.  _ What a nerd. _ Once I hear her bedroom door close, I let myself relax, sitting on one of the kitchen stools and pulling out my scroll.

**Eda[4:34 PM]: Alright I got back in time. Luz still doesn’t seem to suspect anything. How are things going on your end?**

**Emira[4:36 PM]: Amity is certainly in a much better mood than earlier this week**

**Edric[4:36 PM]: And we’ve almost perfected our part**

**Eda[4:37 PM]: Good. And remember, we’re not actually going to hurt them, ok?**

**Emira[4:37 PM]: GASP. As if we would ever actually hurt our baby sister**

**Emira[4:38 PM]: Edric stop whatever you’re typing it’s not going to help**

**Edric[4:38 PM]: I mean the human water bucket prank probably hurt a little. But it’s Luz’s fault the bucket hit Amity, not ours, we followed her instructions precisely!**

**Edric[4:39 PM]: Emira please I’m shifting the blame of hurting Amity to Luz I’m sure that’ll work**

**Emira[4:40 PM]: Edric you’re trying to convince Luz’s mom that Luz intentionally hurt Amity, the girl Luz has an intense crush on**

**Edric[4:42 PM]: Yea? What’s your point?**

I chuckle softly, shaking my head. I leave them to bicker; I have some crucial last-minute preparations to do.  _ Just one more day, kid. It’ll be great, you’ll see. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright ya’ll that’s it for this one, get EXTREMELY hype for the next one cause it’s The Chapter. The idea that originally sparked this huge fic. The culmination of what I’ve been building, and the chapter I’ve been most excited to write. Fair warning, THERE WILL BE MORE ANGST(I’m just a sucker for some great angst) but it also has very good hurt/comfort and some incredible resolution. I can not wait for ya’ll to read it, it’s gonna be a good one!!!
> 
> Also, one of my Beta Readers, RainbowBuddy, has started writing again! He’s started his own fic and I highly recommend you all go check it out. It’s good shit. [One Lifetime Is Not Enough](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27467041/chapters/67154386)
> 
> Alright, that’s me for the week, see ya’ll next time! As always, comments and kudos are highly appreciated <3 <3 <3


	9. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz and Amity finally talk things out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! I mean not IT it, like there is one more chapter, but this is THE BIG ONE. The chapter that inspired this whole work, the thing I’ve been building up to this whole time. I cried multiple times writing and editing this chapter, so if you don’t have them already go grab some tissues.
> 
> Thanks so much for all of your continued support. The fact that we actually passed FIVE HUNDRED Kudos is absolutely wild to me. I very much never thought I’d get this much support for my little fic here and I’m so happy it seems to be connecting with so many people.
> 
> As always a huge thank you to my Beta Readers, Goldminer and RainbowBuddy. They both help me out in the edits and give me an amazing sounding board for bouncing ideas off of.
> 
> Anyway, that’s all the notes I have for this one. Buckle up ya’ll, I hope you enjoy :)

_ A flash of gold, the wind in my hair, the growls of a large monster, the sudden creaking of wood. _

I don’t even need my eyes to focus to know where I am. It’s the dream again, under the Grom tree. I move through the motions, dancing with Amity until, once again, we are face to face. She looks deep into my eyes; hers filled with an affection I swear I recognize. Not from my last dream, but from yesterday, during the Azura scene. Again her mouth opens, speaking words I keep wanting to hear.

_ “Luz. I need to tell you. The person I wanted to ask to Grom was…” _

And once again, my vision goes black and then bright as I awake in my bed. I can almost hear the ghost of a whisper in my mind. It sounds like ‘you.’ And I hope, hope with all my heart, that it might just be true.

I hop out of bed, quickly getting ready before heading downstairs to start breakfast for Eda and King. Usually, during the week, I’m too busy with school to make a proper breakfast, so I always like to get up early on the weekends to make something nice for the rest of the house. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been able to find Boiling Isles equivalents of most of my favorite breakfast foods. They’re not exactly the same either taste or flavor-wise, but they are all delicious in their own way.

Sometime later, the whole house smelling of cooking meats and spices, King and Eda manage to slump their way into the kitchen. King drags himself onto the table, collapsing into another nap as he waits for food to be ready. Eda walks over to the fridge, looking between the apple blood and the hard apple blood before giving a shrug and pulling out the hard stuff. She shuffles over to me, tousling my hair a bit. “You know you never have to do this, right?”

I nod, managing the several pans on the stove. “I know. But you do so much for me, and I’m barely ever able to help during the week now that I’m at school. I want to do something nice for you sometimes, ya know?” I hear a low chuckle behind me as Eda shuffles over to the cupboard to find a mug for her apple blood.

She speaks under her breath as she pours herself a drink, almost too quiet for me to hear. “What did I ever do to deserve you, kid?” I smile at that, deciding against commenting. Soon the food is all done, and I serve up breakfast. For me, a balanced meal of bramblewheat french toast with some thornberry preserves, a few strips of harehog bacon, and three sunny-side up griffin eggs. I always feel a little weird about eating griffin eggs after meeting Puddles, but Eda promises that they’re farmed renewably. King gets a plate piled high with french toast and drenched in apple blood syrup, and Eda gets a plate full of various other meats that I definitely have no particular interest in trying considering how many eyeballs they all have.

We all eat in relative silence, Eda and King still waking up while I’m daydreaming about whatever it is that Amity has planned for later today. Which reminds me, I never asked Eda about that. “Oh, hey Eda, would it be okay if I hung out with Amity later tonight? I know we’re running the stand today, but she didn’t want to do anything until 6, so we should be done by then, right?”

Eda finishes chewing on the bite in her mouth, swallowing before answering. “Yea, that should be fine.” She looks over at me, and I swear she has a knowing look in her eye. “Any idea what you two are going to be up to?”

I shake my head. “No idea! Amity was all nervous though when she asked, maybe she wants to show me some new magic she’s been working on or maybe she took my advice and put together a cosplay or maybe she…” I trail off when I notice Eda quietly chuckling. “What’s so funny?”

She shakes her head, looking fondly at me. She ruffles my hair again. “Oh, nothing kid, you’re just so clueless sometimes that it’s cute.”

I furrow my eyebrows. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m not clueless. I got so many clues! I’m like Pepe Silvia over here with how many clues I have!” Eda snorts at my outburst, even if she doesn’t understand my reference.

She wipes a tear from her eye before responding. “Please, kid. You know a lot of stuff, and you are very smart, I would never deny that. But when it comes to certain more…” She pauses, seemingly reaching for the right word. “Interpersonal matters, you can be pretty dense.”

I puff my cheeks out, annoyance clear on my face. “I don’t know what you mean, Eda. My mami always said I was good at talking to people, and I’ve made so many friends here! I’m good with people.”

Eda smiles warmly at me, giving me a soft pat on the shoulder. “You are kid. You’re great with people.” She seems to want to say more but gestures upstairs with her head. “Now, go get ready for the market while I do the dishes.”

Despite my confusion at the interaction, I do as she says, heading upstairs and packing my bag, making sure I have paper and pencil along with some prepared glyphs. I reenter the living room just as Eda does, stand bag in tow. We head out to the market and set up for what is hopefully a busy day of scamming.

***

We arrive back at the Owl House right around 3, a little earlier than expected after a pair of coven guards tried to arrest us again. Eda tells me to get ready for my ‘date,’ a small smirk on her face at my flustered rebuttal. She waves me off, and I head up to my room to find an outfit.  _ Wait, why am I finding an outfit? I was just going to wear the usual. But I guess... If I know in advance I’m going to be hanging out with Amity; I might want to look a little nicer… _

Not that I have a huge amount of choices. I didn’t exactly bring date clothes _ —Date clothes???— _ with me when I thought I was going to summer camp. I sift through my chest before remembering that I actually do have some new stuff from shopping last weekend with Amity. Looking through my options, I spend a surprising amount of time considering what to wear, finally settling on a pair of nice jeans, a deep maroon button-up, and a matching beanie.  _ I’m really happy I was able to find this beanie. I was sad when I’d realized I’d left all mine back home, so it’s nice to have one again. _

I check my scroll as I head down to the living room to wait for Amity. Apparently I hadn’t spent enough time going through clothes. It’s only just after four, and Amity won’t be here for almost two hours! I sigh, flopping down onto the couch and pulling up my drawing app. I look around the room for inspiration and see King sleeping peacefully in the sunlight streaming through the window. A small smile falls onto my face, and I start sketching out an idea.

I am so engrossed in my drawing that I nearly jump off the couch when I hear Hooty’s shrill tones penetrating the walls of the house. I check the time and sure enough, 6 o’clock to the minute. I smile, minimizing the phone and slipping it into my pocket while I walk over to the door. I open it to see Amity staring angrily at Hooty, cheeks red.  _ Interesting. Now that I see her actually angry, the blush is different from what I usually see on her face. It’s more concentrated in her forehead than her cheeks, and her eyebrows are pulled together instead of relaxed like I usually see them. _ Storing that information away for later use, I smile and wave, distracting Amity and possibly saving Hooty. “Hey, Amity!”

Amity looks at me, the anger instantly leaving her features. She smiles at me, and I can see red, not an angry red, creep back onto her face as she takes in my outfit. She gives a small smirk. “You look nice.”

I smirk back. “Weird.”

She laughs softly, seemingly remembering the same moment I am. “But nice.” She smiles at me, and as she does, I finally notice what she’s wearing. The dress from last weekend, the green and amber one that I drew her in. I feel the slightest blush crawl on to my cheeks as I think about the drawing. When I look back up to her face, her blush has deepened, presumably having noticed me staring at her outfit.

Before either of us can get up the courage to break the silence brought on by our simultaneous attacks of awkwardness, Eda pops into the living room. She steps up beside me, using my head as an armrest. “You two are dressed up far too nice for this not to be a date.” Both Amity and I break out into deeper blushes than I thought possible, and Eda cackles at our reactions. She slaps me on the back, turning to go to the kitchen. “I’m only joking. You two kids have fun, don’t do anything I’d do.”

As Eda disappears into the kitchen, I take a deep breath, pushing down the heat in my cheeks. I smile a little awkwardly at Amity. “So? Where to?”

Amity shakes her head, trying to collect herself. “Right. Uh, right, yea, where to.” She blinks a few times, clearly still not in full use of her faculties, before squeezing her eyes closed for a few seconds, seemingly counting something. After she opens her eyes, she seems much calmer and smiles warmly at me, which further loosens a knot I didn’t know had tightened in my chest. “Just follow me. It’s a surprise.” She winks, turning to lead the way.

I almost don’t follow for a second, stunned by the wink she’d just casually thrown my way. I do, though, speeding up to close the gap. I fall into step next to her, instantly putting on a teasing demeanor. “A surprise, huh? Can’t you give me any hints?”

Amity puts a hand to her chin, seemingly thinking over my offer. “Well…” She thinks for a few seconds longer. “Let’s just say it’s going to be a very magical experience.”

I gasp, almost stopping in place again. “Amity Blight! Did you just make a  _ pun? _ ”

Amity looks at me, genuine confusion in her eyes. “What? No. Luz, you know that I’m a witch, right? Pretty much anything I would have prepared would be magical in some way, right?”

The incredibly serious expression on her face hits me, and I realize that no, she isn’t joking. I break out laughing, holding my gut as I bend over. Amity looks even more confused now, and it only makes me laugh harder. Eventually, I straighten up, wiping a tear from my eye. “Amity. You are too adorable sometimes; you know that?” She once again breaks out in a blush, trying to stammer out a response, before turning abruptly and walking quickly into the forest.

I run to catch up with her, taking a look around. I’ve been through this forest many times in the past weeks. Whether it be heading to Bonesborough or Hexside, or foraging with Eda, or just exploring on my own. I know the paths pretty well by now, and I have some idea of where we’re going. I smile softly just as Amity turns around, holding a hand out to me.

“Ok. If.” She swallows, seemingly nervous again. “If it’s ok, I’m going to blindfold you. I uh.” She pulls a piece of cloth out of her bag. “I want it to be a surprise, ya know?” I chuckle softly but nod my acceptance. Amity walks behind me, tying the blindfold snugly in place. I feel a breeze in front of my face, presumably Amity’s hand checking to see if I can see. “Alright. I’m going to lead you the rest of the way.” I feel her hand slip into mine, tugging me forward with her. I intertwine our fingers subconsciously, and I can feel the heat rise in my cheeks when I hear the small ‘Eep’ the action elicits from Amity.

Even though I can’t see properly I do notice the shift in light as we leave the darker cover of the forest and feel the rays of the sun hitting my face in whatever clearing we’ve entered.  _ As if I don’t already know where we are. _ Amity pulls her hand from mine, and I miss its warmth for just a moment before I feel both her hands on my arms, maneuvering me into a specific spot. I then feel her hands on my face, and I have to resist the urge to lean into the touch as she adjusts my head to look upward.

With no further flourish or flair, Amity removes the blindfold. As expected, I’m looking up at the Grom tree, our tree, and I’m curious for a second what Amity wanted me to see the Grom tree for before I notice something new. High up in the tree branches, leaves almost obscuring it, appears to be a small window, looking into a room of some sort? I blink a few times before looking at Amity, excitement beginning to lace through my body and words. I bounce ever so slightly on the balls of my feet. “Amity. Is that what I think it is?”

Amity smirks at me, walking over to the tree and tapping out a small series of notes on the trunk. I recognize it as the music that plays in the final smibidge match in Azura 2. As Amity finishes tapping out the sequence, I see several small cubbies shift into the tree, creating a natural ladder up into the branches. Amity gestures upward. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”

I clap my hands, eagerly ascending the ladder to whatever waits above. As I approach the top of the ladder, a section of pink vines opens above me, allowing me into the space above. I look around, mouth hanging open.  _ This is amazing! _ There’s a pair of desks, bookshelves stocked with books, beanbags, snacks, a window looking out on the Boiling Sea, a chalkboard! I do a full 360, taking in the whole room. Amity follows me in moments later, and I stare at her in awe. “Amity! Did you do all this? This is amazing!” I pull her into a tight hug, practically vibrating with energy.

She laughs gently near my ear, pulling back slightly, a light blush on her cheeks again. “Well, I can’t take all the credit. I had the idea, yes, and I did buy all the furniture, but without Willow’s magic, this wouldn’t have been possible.” I smile, taking down another mental note to thank Willow  _ again _ .  _ That witch does too much for me. _ I smile even wider at Amity, about to ask why she’d done this when she starts to speak again. “I know we both like the library hideout, but it was really only made for one, and it was also kinda public, and having two of us might have made it easier to give away and…” She shakes her head, recentering herself. “The point is, I wanted a space for the two of us. A space away from the city, away from our parents, a space that we can come to, either of us, and just take time to ourselves, or to be…” She pauses, then almost whispers the next words. “Together, if we wanted to.”

My heart melts at her speech, my smile widening so much it almost hurts. I pull her back into another hug, speaking softly over her shoulder. “Amity, that’s so thoughtful of you. This place is really beautiful, and I’m so excited to spend time here with you.” I pull back, holding her by the shoulder and looking her in the eyes. “Thank you. Sincerely. I…” I pause a moment, chewing on my bottom lip. “I don’t think you know how much this means to me. Noone, except maybe Eda, has ever done something this kind for me. So generous, so…” I struggle to find the words, floundering in my praise for a second. I realize why I’m struggling because, again, this isn’t something people do for me. For Luz Noceda, freak of both Realms. I don’t know how to express the amount of thanks I’m feeling because I’ve never had to before. I look in Amity’s eyes, hoping my eyes can convey the emotions my words can’t. “Just. Thank you, Amity. This is the most wonderful gesture anyone has ever done for me, and it means the world to me that it came from you.”

Amity smiles back at me, and I can see that she understands, at least part of it. “You’re welcome, Luz. You’ve done so much for me since you came here, and I felt that I wanted to do something for you, to show you how much I appreciate you being in my life. And maybe…” She gulps, and the nervous fidgeting from last night returns. She averts her eyes for a second, landing on the bookshelf behind me. “Maybe you’d want to do another Azura reenactment?” She says in a high-pitched rush, breaking from my grip and running over to the bookshelf. I pause for a second, looking at her back as she searches the shelves for the Azura books. I feel like she wanted to say something else, but I don’t want to push her into anything. So I take the topic change and go along with her. Whatever she wants to say, she’ll say it eventually.

We spend the next couple of hours just having fun. We reenact some Azura scenes, write a little bit of fanfic, do some drawing. I finish up the art of King I had been working on earlier and show it to Amity. It’s a drawing of what I imagine a ferocious tyrant version of King to be. A vast, intimidating figure, crushing people beneath his mighty claws. Amity laughs softly when I show it to her, stating that King will love it. As I’m going back to save the drawing, I remember once again the drawing I did of Amity. I think for a second and, seizing on the small amount of courage I have at this moment, I send the file to Amity’s scroll.

I hear her scroll ping, and she looks at me, confused for a second before opening the attachment and seeing the image. She looks at it for what feels like ages before looking back over at me. “Luz. Did you draw this?”

I chuckle awkwardly, rubbing a hand along the back of my neck. “Well, yeah, I mean, when we were trying on clothes, you put on that dress and spun around, and the image just stuck in my head like. ‘Wow. Amity sure is pretty in that dress.’ and I just, ya know, had to draw you.” I chuckle awkwardly, boldly skirting the line between compliments and flirting, and I notice Amity’s face flush a deep red again, although she seems in control this time, a smile creeping onto her face.

She looks back at the drawing, looks back at me, and again I feel like there’s something she wants to say, something she wants to ask. She shakes her head after a moment, face returning to a warm smile. “Thank you, Luz. It’s a beautiful drawing. I’ll cherish it.”

I grin broadly at her, so genuinely happy she likes the drawing. We continue chatting, or drawing, eating some snacks here and there, and just being in each other's presence. It’s the most time we’d spent together uninterrupted in a long while, and it feels really nice to just be here with Amity. Halfway through another scene reenactment I notice a glint from outside and I see the sun is just starting to crest against the horizon outside. The view from the window of the sunset is magnificent. Amity notices me staring out and turns to look, realizing what time it is. She frowns slightly and stands up, smile returning as she turns back to me. “We should probably get going. Don’t want to be out in this forest in the dark, you know?” I nod, and we both descend the tree. Amity gives the trunk three firm taps, and the cubbies reseal, the trunk looking as if nothing had ever happened to it. She turns to me, gesturing towards the forest. “Shall we?”

I nod, holding out my arm as if offering for her to take it. “We shall! And as your fearless champion, I insist you allow me to escort you so that you may be safe on your trip home.” Amity giggles softly but, surprisingly, accepts, looping her arm through mine. We start into the forest, arm in arm, both of us blushing furiously.

***

We’ve been walking for no more than a minute when we hear a shifting in the forest around us, accompanied by a muffled buzzing. We’re both instantly on our guard. It’s not quite night just yet, but even during the day, the forests around Bonesborough can be a dangerous place. We stand back to back, Amity summoning an abomination just in case, and wait. The buzzing sound gets louder, and I spot through the trees massive yellow and black striped creatures flying towards us. “Amity, over there!” 

I point, and she swings her head around to look. “Soldier bees! We need to get back out into the open air immediately!” She starts pushing me back in the direction of the Grom tree. A massive bee-like creature bursts from the branches, swinging not a stinger but a full-sized claymore at my head! I duck the blade just in time, hearing a shout to my right. “Abomination, Attack!” Amity fires off a spell in the creature’s direction as it starts tangling with Amity’s abomination. “Luz, you go ahead. I’ll be right behind you!” She continues casting fireballs behind her as she runs after me, and I see a large number of the demons filtering through the forest now.

Moments later, we burst out onto the cliff again, the soldier bees just behind us. Once again, we go back to back, fighting the hovering swarm surrounding us. As I see more of these creatures in front of me, it’s not just claymores. These creatures have all sorts of weapons attached to themselves; spears, swords, daggers, axes, hammers, a khopesh? If they hadn’t been trying to kill me, I’d probably be geeking out over all the cool weapons in front of me.

As it is, though, they are trying to kill us, and there are a lot of them. Amity and I fight in sync, mirroring each other and bolstering the weak points in each other’s defenses, just like we did last Saturday. A group of bees breaks past Amity’s abomination, and I shoot out a gust of wind, scattering them and giving Amity time to shoot them down. A group of them breaks past my storm of glyphs, giving me flashbacks to the ant-spider swarm, before an abomination fist bursts from the ground, knocking them into the sky.

After what feels like hours of combat, the cliff around us is littered with bee corpses. Amity and I are breathing heavily, wary that there may be more coming. And something else is coming. I hear a low, rumbling buzz, a bass tone that seems to reverberate through the entire cliff. Slowly at first but then almost all at once, the corpses around us start floating off the ground, coalescing into a single space above us. They don’t come alive again, not exactly, instead forming together into a single hovering mass that takes on the form of a single massive Soldier Bee.

The creature towers above us, the last hints of sunlight drawing a shadow of the demon across the entire cliff, covering us in darkness. Amity and I look at each other and nod. We each extend a hand, a glyph in mine and a circle formed from hers. The mass of bodies roar, a deafening screech that shakes the ground beneath our feet, and just as it tilts down to charge us, our magic explodes out from us. My wind glyph combines with Amity’s fireball spell, creating a massive whirlwind of flaming destruction. It catches the gigantic creature in its wake and pushes it back, setting its body aflame as it casts it back from us, the force of our combined magic sending it careening into the ocean.

The physical exertion of the moment finally catches up with us as the battle seems to be over finally. The adrenaline leaks from my body and, in sync, just like in the library yesterday, we sink to the ground, using each other for support. I think more about the library, the scene, and the smile. I look over to Amity, who seems to be catching her breath. “Ya know, that was a lot like the scene from Book Club yesterday. The bees, the queen, the ultimate finishing move.” I laugh softly. “Now, it just needs the confession of love to seal the deal.”

Amity looks into my eyes as I speak, and at my last quip, I see determination harden in her eyes. She turns towards me, takes a deep breath, and grabs me by the arms. She speaks quickly, softly, but with a resolve unmatched. “Luz Noceda. I like you. As more than a friend. I’ve had a crush on you for weeks now, and it’s been getting more and more difficult to hide it ever since Grom. You’re an amazing, kind, generous, giving, goofy, loving, ball of sunshine. You’ve made my life so much better. So I wanted to ask. Would you go out with me?”

I can feel a look cross my face, a look combining joy, surprise, and for just a moment, something darker. I’m about to open my mouth, to say ‘Yes. Of course, I would. I like you too, Amity’. When without warning, it all crashes down around me. I can feel tears come to my eyes unbidden as the memories of so many past attempts at romance come crashing into my mind. The pain, the betrayal, the idea that has been ingrained into me so hard that people don’t actually like me. They’re just trying to use me. To trick me. To make my life worse. It all comes back, and looking into Amity’s eyes, I know, deep down, that she would never do that to me. But that doesn’t stop me from standing, breaking from her grasp, and running into the forest. Running from the pain, running from the unknown, running from my best friend.

“Luz!”

***

It’s hard to know how long I’ve been running or what I trip over. I’m not concerned with my surroundings; the only thing I can see is my past coming back to haunt me, the faces of previous crushes obscuring my vision. I fall, knees scraping against the forest floor. I don’t try to get up, to move, I lay where I fall, curling up into a ball, crying tears that I do not want, cursing myself for ruining such a perfect night.

I hear someone running through the forest behind me, and I know it’s Amity. “Luz! Luz, where are you?” I hear her voice, desperate and terrified. Of course, she is. Two forces struggle within me; the want to find Amity and explain everything, and the want to run further away and avoid the pain I’m so convinced is coming. Instead I stay where I am, body refusing to respond to any of my commands. I’m stuck here, tears streaming into the dirt below me, twigs and stones digging into the side of my face.

After a few more tortured moments, I see her form appear before me. She looks scared, confused, but most of all, concerned. She leans down; a hand reached out tentatively. I can hear her speak, ask questions, but the cloud in my mind is refusing the words entry. I can see the gears turning in her head and wish so badly to do something to make this right, but instead, Amity takes action. She sits down beside me and pulls me into her lap; arms wrapped soothingly around me. For just a second, I’m able to regain control, for just long enough to wrap my arms around her waist, and for the tears to start coming in full force now, as I truly accept what is happening to me right now. 

I feel her hand on my back, moving in soothing circles, and I can hear her speaking softly to me. Although I can’t hear the words, I can feel her tone; a tone of reassurance, of patience, of comfort. And I cry. I don’t know how long I cry, but eventually, I’m able to hear again, see clearly past the fog of the past. The faces are still there on the edge of my vision but just barely. I hear Amity finally. “I’m here, Luz. Whatever you need, I’m here. Whenever you’re ready, I’m here. If you need to talk, I’m here. If you need to cry, I’m here. If you need to leave, I’m here.”

I take a deep, shuddering breath. I can feel my eyes are puffy, my nose is flooded, and my throat is raw. I shift slightly in Amity’s grip, not wanting to leave but wanting to see her face. She stops speaking, looking down into my eyes. I speak, voice hoarse. “Thank you, Amity. Thank you. For not leaving.” She nods, squeezing me once with her arms, a comforting gesture.

I take a deep breath, collecting my thoughts, focusing on the warmth of Amity’s embrace, the smell of her dress, and the feel of its soft fabric against my cheek. “I suppose, I owe you an explanation…”

Amity shakes her head, cutting me off. “You don’t owe me anything, Luz.” She pauses for a second before continuing. “I would still like to know what happened. But you don’t  _ owe _ me anything.”

I chuckle softly, nodding. “Ok, ok, ok. I don’t owe you an explanation. But I want to give you one.” I take another deep breath, steadying the last of my nerves. My gaze breaks from her, and I look anywhere but at her face, not wanting to see what she thinks of me. “I may have mentioned before, in passing, that I wasn’t exactly… popular. Back in the human realm.” I sigh softly, feeling a squirming in my stomach at deliberately bringing up these memories, at sharing them with another person. I don’t even share most of these thoughts with my own mother. “It was more than that. Or less, depending on your perspective. I was nothing back home, a nobody, a freak, a weirdo, an outcast, a reject. I was the weird girl that still liked children’s books, the nerd girl that liked to learn, and was a little too loud and was a little too invested in her fantasies. I was the bi Latina with a single mother in a mostly white school, teased for being myself. I didn’t even have nerd friends. Even the nerds thought I was weird.” I sigh again, seeking comfort in Amity’s embrace. She holds me tighter, seeming to sense my need. 

“So when I say I’ve had a… less than stellar romantic history, I think you can understand. I’ve never been on a date before. I’ve had crushes, sure. But anytime I tried acting on them, it was either met with disgust, betrayal, or worst, just plain indifference. As if I was so beneath their notice that it was obvious to anyone that they would never be into me.” I bite my lip, looking back up into Amity’s eyes. Her eyes, on the verge of tears, with a world of compassion, comfort, and righteous anger within them. I nearly break again, seeing someone care so deeply about me. ”I do like you, Amity. I like you so much, and I have for a while. But I’ve been scared, scared that I was misinterpreting the signals you were sending, scared that you secretly hated me, scared that it would turn out just like every other crush I’d ever had. But this week, things had been changing. I’d been paying more attention, trying to parse reality from my insecurities, trying to see you for who you are, not what my mind tells me you are..” I chuckle wryly. “I was actually working on a plan to ask you out before tonight happened.”

I take another deep breath, chewing on my bottom lip for a moment, trying to decide how to explain the next part. “But when you said you liked me. That you actually have feelings for me. You - wonderful, smart, nerdy, funny, sweet, beautiful Amity - have feelings for the weird cluster-clump that is me. Something inside of me splintered. The memories of past attempts at romance came flooding back, telling me this was fake, that it couldn’t be real, that it was a prank.” I hold Amity’s gaze, wanting her to know that I meant the next part. “But I know you. I know that isn’t what you would do. You’re not cruel, Amity. You’re kind, and you do care about me. I see that now. But sometimes, it’s not about what you know, but what you fear. And for a moment, or a lot of moments, that fear took control.”

I take a final deep breath, looking away from Amity’s face. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for causing you trouble. I’m sorry for scaring you. I’m sorry if I made you feel unloved. I meant none of that. I do like you, Amity. And I hope I didn’t absolutely ruin your confession.”

We both remain silent for a minute, just the sounds of our heartbeats in my head. I feel one of her hands move up my back and move to my cheek, bringing my head back around so she can see my eyes. The look in her eyes is one of empathy, sadness, shared pain, and regret. She begins speaking, voice soft and kind. “I’m so sorry, Luz. If I had known, I would have done this differently. Because I understand.” She sighs as well, the weary sigh of someone that knows all too well what the other is dealing with. “I know what isolation is like, what it feels like to be alone in a room full of people. I know what it’s like to feel as if no-one truly likes you, as if everyone’s just using you for their own agenda.” The hand on my cheek wipes a tear from my eye and gently caresses my cheek. “And I’m sorry you’ve ever had to feel that way. You don’t deserve it. You are too kind and caring to have to deal with people like that.”

She takes a steadying breath of her own and smiles that soft smile at me. “But please know, it’s because of you that I now know there is another way. There are people that will be my friend because they like me, not because they want something from me. You’ve broken down every wall I’ve built up in my life to protect me from people who want to hurt me. And in their place, you have built a monument to kindness, generosity, and understanding. You have helped me reconnect with Willow. You’ve introduced me to people like Gus and Viney. You’ve helped my siblings and I get along better. You and Eda have shown me what a real family can be like. You’ve improved my life so much, just by being yourself.”

She removes the hand from my face, taking one of my hands from around her waist and intertwining our fingers. “So please, please understand. When I say I like you, I mean it. Sincerely, without ulterior motive, without wanting anything more than to just be with you. Because you do make me better, happier, kinder. You inspire me to be more than I was, to be more than my family name, to be more than my parent’s expectations. Every moment I spend with you is a moment of pure joy, and I want to spend as many moments with you as I can. Because, Luz Noceda, you are incredible, passionate, kind, and beautiful. And above all else, you are worth being loved.” She gently squeezes my hand with hers. “And if you don’t believe that now, I will do everything in my power to help you believe it. Because it is true, and you should be allowed to see that. You, Luz Noceda, are worth being loved. By Eda, by your friends, by your mother, and - if you’ll have me - by me.” 

By the end of her speech, a light blush had spread across both our cheeks, and a few more tears had traveled down mine. I shift out of the admittedly awkward position I’m in and sit up, wrapping my arms tightly around Amity. We stay that way for a few moments, enjoying the knowledge and warmth of each other’s support. I finally pull back, smile wide on my face. I nod enthusiastically, speaking again. “Amity. I would love nothing more than to go out with you.”

Amity’s face lights up, the confusion and fear and worry draining from her face in an instant, replaced by a look of sheer joy. She laughs, a laugh of surprise and affection, one of my favorite sounds in either realm. She throws her arms around my neck, sending us both tumbling backward to the ground. We laugh together, hearts swelling with joy and warmth. Neither of us is paying attention to the time anymore, just laying together, minds high on the knowledge of what just occurred.

Eventually - again, neither of us are quite sure how long we laid there - we do finally get up. We dust ourselves off, smiles never leaving our faces. We embrace again, the joy in our chests wanting nothing more than to be shown to the other person. We pull apart minutes later, and the atmosphere dims a little as we both know we have to separate now. “So uh. I guess we should get going. It is pretty late…”

I trail off, awkwardly rubbing my arm. Amity nods solemnly before seeming to remember something. “Oh! Right. I meant to ask, but ya know, we got kind of caught up. You said, you would…” She blushes slightly. “Be interested in going out with me. So I was wondering, what about tomorrow? I’m free all day, so if you’re not doing anything, I figure, maybe, if it’s okay with you, we could maybe, go on a date tomorrow?”

The last few words peaked to a pitch almost imperceptible to the human ear, but I smile widely at the offer. I jump up, arms held high above my head. “Amity! Of course, I would! On a date, with you? Amity, I’ve been waiting for that for  _ weeks  _ now. Of course, I’ll go on a date with you.” A blush once again settles on Amity’s face as I respond, and I can’t help but say something now that I know she likes me. “Gosh, you’re cute when you blush.” Which, of course, only makes her blush deepen further. I laugh softly as she playfully punches my arm, mumbling for me to shut up. “So, what’s the plan?”

Amity clears her throat, straightening up. “Right. How about we meet at the market around 9, and then we can figure it out from there? I have some ideas, but I figure we can just wander around and see what happens, right?” She smiles warmly at me, and I nod enthusiastically.

“Yea! That sounds like a great time! The market, 9 o’clock. I won’t be late! Or, well, too late.” We both giggle a little at that. “Well. Tomorrow then. I’ll be seeing you then. On our date.” The grin on my face widens further, and we share one more embrace before bidding each other farewell, heading our separate ways.

***

I literally dance through the forest back to the Owl House, waltzing to a soundtrack only I can hear. As I arrive at the clearing where the house is, I see the door closing behind Eda.  _ Huh. Was she out? I wonder what that’s about. _ I greet Hooty and head inside, smiling warmly at Eda. “Hey, Eda! Are you just coming back too? I thought you were going to spend the night in?”

Eda turns, a little startled at my sudden appearance. She quickly puts on a facade of calm before speaking. “What? Nah kid, I’ve been here all night. And I know I’ve been here all night cause I found this.” She pulls out my copy of Azura 6 from behind her back. “Down here. You know I told you to keep all your nerd stuff in your room.” She hands me the book, a smirk on her face.

I look at the book, eyebrows furrowing in thought. I look up at Eda, inspecting her face.  _ This isn’t right; I haven’t taken this out of my bag since yesterday. _ I think back over the past week; Eda and the Twins making Amity and I go off together, Eda acting weird about my meeting today, Eda and I going on the trip to the ant-spider den, the uncanny resemblance to the confession scene in Azura 6… The gears turn in my head for a moment before I remember, the final piece clicking into place. ‘Ant-spider silk… it can be used to enhance the corporeality of illusions’. A grin splits my face again _ —my cheeks are gonna hurt in the morning— _ and I run over and wrap Eda in a crushing hug. “Woah, woah, woah kid, what’s this about? You know how I feel about your parallel arm thing.”

I look up at her. “I know what you did, Eda. I connected the dots. Like I said this morning, I got so many clues, I’m like Pepe Silvia up in here.” I see the expression in her eyes soften, and she wraps her arms around me. “Thank you, Eda.”

“Yea, yea, don’t mention it, kid.” She smirks at me. “Really, though, don’t mention it. I’m Eda, the Owl Lady. I have a reputation to uphold.”

  
I step back from our hug, making an X over my heart. “I cross my…” But I’m interrupted by a horrified gasp from Eda. I look up, brow furrowed in confusion. “Wait, what?”

“Kid! Did you just cross your heart at me?”

“Uh… Yea? I don’t see why that’s…”

“Don’t you know crossing your heart at a witch is a promise to kill them in a witch’s duel?”

My mind processes this information for a moment; then I burst out laughing. Eda looks confused for a moment before I speak up, still laughing a little. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. No, I didn’t know that; it means something very different in the human realm. It’s just another way to say ‘I promise.’ I’m sorry for inadvertently threatening to kill you, Eda.” I smirk slightly. “Although I could definitely do it if I had to.”

Eda lets out a sharp cackle. “Doubtful kid. You might have some new tricks, but I’m still the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, and don’t you forget it!”

We both laugh at that, and I give Eda another hug and a verbal promise this time. I head up to my room, checking my scroll as I go.

**Amity[11:46 PM]: Hey is Eda acting weird?**

**Amity[11:47 PM]: Sorry, weirder than usual I mean**

I laugh at the second message before replying.

**Luz[11:53 PM]: I don’t think so, why?**

**Amity[11:54 PM]: The twins have been teasing me all night, asking how my night went, as if they know what happened?**

I think about it for a minute before realizing what must have happened.

**Luz[11:56 PM]: Hey did you know Eda had my copy of Azura 6?**

**Amity[11:57 PM]: Ok? What does that have to do with…**

**Amity[11:57 PM]: I’m gonna kill those two**

**Luz[11:58 PM]: No don’t do that! Who knows how long it would have taken one of us to confess if they hadn’t pushed us. Give them some slack just this once. For me? :3**

**Amity[11:59 PM]: Just this once. And don’t think you can use that excuse all the time, it’s not like I’m going to do whatever you say just because I have a crush on you.**

**Luz[11:59 PM]: Are you sure? I’ve always been very charming, and now that I know you like me, I can be even more persuasive ;)**

**Amity[12:04 AM]: AIOWFMNDIOWMPAIOMFAOLW**

**Amity[12:04 AM]: I’M GOING TO BED. GOODNIGHT.**

I laugh at her response, putting my scroll down and getting ready for bed. I lay down, almost unsure if I’m going to be able to get to sleep. I’m so excited for tomorrow.  _ My first real date! With Amity Blight! I’m the luckiest girl in this or any realm. _ With thoughts of Amity and Amity alone swirling in my head, I fall into a peaceful sleep, dreaming of tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s it for this one! I really don’t have a lot to say other than get hype for next chapter cause it’s DATE CHAPTER. And I promise, cross my heart(The human way, not the witch way), that next chapter will be nothing but fluff and good feelings. I might be an angst-machine, but I did tag this fic “Angst with a happy ending” didn’t I? See you all in a week for the finale of this story :)
> 
> Also, as usual, comments and kudos are always appreciated. Your support means the world to me and definitely keeps me going when I’m feeling low :D


	10. Girlfriends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amity takes Luz on a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it! Just about 2 months after my first chapter, here we are, at the finale to this wild ride. I want to of course thank everyone who has read or commented or kudosed in the past 2 months, your support gave me so much strength to continue. 
> 
> I’m very proud of this piece, for multiple reasons. But the big one is this is the first long-term creative project I’ve completed in my adult life. Just before starting this I had started taking meds for my depression and I have NEVER been good at finishing things I started. So when I completed my first chapter I was so happy I hit the moon. But now this? 10 whole chapters? Over 70k words? A creative project that I worked on and off on for 2 whole months? If I didn’t see it right now with my own eyes I wouldn’t believe it. This piece means a lot to me, and really feels like the first step in a bright new future for me.
> 
> It’s also just a very important piece to me. Like I’ve said so many times in the comments and in previous notes, this interpretation of Luz is based a lot on myself. And I see so much of myself in her, both in this headcanon and in the actual show canon. The weird nerd that never had friends. And writing this story, writing this arc of acceptance and friendship, writing this catharsis of fluff, has been a balm on my soul, a balm on my insecurities, and just so so wonderful to write. I’m not over those insecurities by any means, can one ever truly rid themselves of such things? But this story helped, a lot. I’ve also seen insecure!Luz appearing in a bunch of other stories across the fandom, and it always hits me so close when I see other people seeing the same Luz I do. If you haven’t read them already, I highly recommend you check out the following fics featuring insecure!Luz: [It Must Be (A) Love (Potion)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26512093/chapters/64616041), [A Valeween Night to Remember](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27153874/chapters/66314053), and [Welcome to the Haunted Mansion](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26997592/chapters/65902168).
> 
> As always, a huge massive thanks to my beta readers, RainbowBuddy and Goldminer. Ya’ll have helped me so much and have been such a huge part of making this story what it is now. I appreciate you both for your support, edits, and enthusiasm.
> 
> Now, without further adieu, enjoy the fluff. I made it extra sweet this chapter :)

I wake up before my alarm, excited energy already pulsing through my whole body. I can tell it’s early when I look out my window, the rays of the sun just barely peeking past the horizon. I stretch, thinking about the plans for the day. _A date! Me, Luz Noceda, resident weirdo, on a DATE. With Amity Blight, the smartest and funniest and prettiest witch at Hexside._ I spin in a circle, giggling excitedly, thinking about the day ahead of me.

I move over to my chest, looking through outfits when I realize. _Oh boy. I think I wore my nicest outfit yesterday. But now I’m going on a date? With AMITY? What am I supposed to wear? Oh Dios, oh Dios, oh Dios…_

An unknown amount of time later, I stand in the center of a disaster area, clothes spread everywhere across my floor, and I’m no closer to finding something to wear. My door swings open, and I see Eda standing there, face set into its usual smirk. She takes a look around my room, letting out a low whistle. “Alright, so first date jitters then.”

I look at her, a sense of desperation in my eyes. “Eda, why are all my clothes horrifically ugly? Did you spill a Gross potion in my trunk when I wasn’t looking?”

Eda chuckles, walking over to me and putting a calming hand on my shoulders. She takes a deep breath, gesturing for me to follow her lead. I do, taking a deep breath in through my mouth and breathing out in a steady stream through my nose. Eda speaks after we do this a few times. Her voice is warm, soft, and encouraging. “Kid, listen. I get that this is your first date, ever. But the Blight girl is head-over-heels for you. You could show up in your otter costume, and she’d be happy to see you.”

I smile weakly up at Eda, a lot of the stress leaving my shoulders. “Thanks, Eda. I needed that.” I look around the floor, frowning slightly at the clothes strewn everywhere. “As much as I love my otter onesie, I do still want to look somewhat presentable today.”

Eda laughed softly, leaning down to pick up some clothes. “Well then, let’s see what we can figure out together, huh?”

I smile, giving her a quick hug before we get to work. We rule out the outfit from yesterday, minus the beanie. We take a look through what I have and find a nice neutral grey button-up, a pair of black khakis that Eda owns that she shrinks to fit with a spell, and my regular sneakers but illusioned to look like a pair of black loafers. I finish the look with my beanie and a matching open-front vest for that pop of color and look at myself in the mirror. I nod, smiling. “Yea. Yea! Now, this is a great look, Eda.” I see her walk up behind me, smiling what looks like a proud smile at me.

She musses with my hair before I shoo her away, muttering under my breath about ‘just getting the beanie to look right,’ and Eda cackles again. “Alright, kid, let’s get you to the market. Don’t wanna be too late.” She winks at me as I check my scroll, realizing we need to leave _now_ if we want any chance of being on time. “Oh, and before I forget.” Eda pulls a small bag out of her pocket and drops it towards me. I hear the jangling of coins inside. She smirks wryly at my stunned expression. “Don’t get too used to it. A first date’s important though, make sure you spend at least some of that on her, alright?” I grin wide, wrapping my arms around Eda in thanks. She pushes me off after a second, reminding me that we need to go. We hop on Owlbert and fly away towards the market.

***

We touch down in the central market area, where Amity and I had agreed to meet, only like 2 minutes late. I can already see her bright green hair from the air, so I throw a wave towards Eda before running over to where I see Amity waiting for me. As I get close, she notices me, and I notice her, and we both just stop and stare for a moment. I can feel the heat on my cheeks mirroring Amity’s, and a smile to match hers as well. She’s dressed in a simple yellow dress, the light of the early morning reflecting off it in a way to make it look almost as golden as her eyes, along with a pair of grey leggings and her favorite shoes with the crescent buckles. What blows me away the most, though, is her hair, which is out of its usual tail and is falling around her face, framing it in the most striking way.

After taking a moment to think about how pretty she is, I remember that this is a date. I can just tell her. I walk forward, smiling with faux-confidence. “Good morning, Amity. You look beautiful today.” I reach out as my compliment deepens the blush in her cheeks, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “And I don’t think I’ve ever seen your hair down before. It really suits you.”

Amity stammers over my compliments for a few seconds before doing the most unexpected thing, wrapping me in a hug. I quickly return the gesture, and we both just stand there for a moment, enjoying the contact. I hear her whisper softly into my collarbone. “You already get me so flustered without trying; I don’t know how I thought I could handle you when you’re complimenting me on purpose.” We both share a small laugh at that.

I pull back from her, keeping my hands on her arms and looking into her eyes. “Well, I guess you’ll just have to get used to it. Now that I know you like my compliments, you just won’t be able to stop me.” I wink, and my grip on her is the only thing that keeps her from falling over. I laugh, keeping her steady. “Alright, alright, I don’t want you to hurt yourself. I’ll ease off the gas a little bit.” Amity’s face instantly switches from a look of embarrassment to one of confusion at yet another weird human thing. I just giggle, waving it off. “So? Did you have anywhere you were hoping to go first? You were the one that asked me out, so I feel like you have some ideas.”

Amity nods, holding a hand to her chest and taking a few deep breaths. After the red on her cheeks fades to a light pink _\- Still cute -_ she looks up at me. “Yea, yea, I had some ideas. Have you eaten yet?” My stomach takes that moment to let out a growl, which Amity laughs at. “I’ll take that as a no. Come on, let’s get some breakfast.” She turns to start walking, and I fall into step beside her. A tense but not unpleasant atmosphere develops between us as it seems like, despite our initial flirting, neither of us are really sure what to do now. Any other day I would happily take her hand to lead her through the market, but now that I know this is a date, it feels like every little gesture and movement is the most important thing I will ever do. Our hands brush a few times, but neither of us makes a move. We just walk silently through the market, both of us absorbed in our thoughts.

After about 10 minutes of walking, Amity stops, turning to gesture at the building in front of us. “The Elken Constellation, one of my favorite places to get breakfast.” I look up at the establishment, seeing a green sign of an elk’s head surrounded by stars. Something is scratching at the back of my brain, and when I realize, I have to suppress a snort. Amity turns sharply to look at me as the sound escapes regardless. “What’s so funny?”

I smile at her. “Nothing, nothing. It just looks a lot like a human coffee shop, and imagining you ever going into one of those is just a hilarious image.” She looks at me, an eyebrow raised. “Anyway, let’s go in. What do you get here usually?”

We walk in, Amity explaining their various menu items. We order some drinks and breakfast items. I try to insist on paying for Amity’s breakfast, and she insists on paying for mine, so we just end up paying for each other. Which, considering we both pay the same amount, is basically no different than just paying for our own. But we both appreciate the thought, although the people behind us in line get a little grumpy as we argue over who is going to pay. We both walk away after finally paying, smiling at each other.

When our food comes out, I realize, just like back home, my drink comes out with the name ‘Loose’ on it. I give another chuckle at the familiarity of the situation. We sit at one of the small two-person tables, tucked away in a corner near the front window. I start devouring my muffin before remembering I’m on a date, then attempt to copy Amity’s small dainty bites. _How does she eat like this? You get so little of the food in your mouth at once it must take forever to eat anything._ Amity notices my attempt and laughs softly. “Luz, I’ve been watching you eat lunch at school for months now. If I found your eating habits distasteful, I wouldn’t have invited you for breakfast.” She smiles softly at me, and I feel a warmth spread throughout my chest at her words. _She really seems to like… Me. All of me. Even the weird parts._ Amity’s brows crease in concern, and she holds a hand out. “Luz? Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?”

I laugh softly, reaching up to wipe away the tear. “No, no, no. You did nothing wrong, Amity. You did something right, really. It was a tear of happiness. You know how I feel about…” I gesture vaguely about the space between us, hoping Amity knows what I mean. “And just you not thinking how I eat is weird is just… Really nice to hear.” She smiles at me, putting a comforting hand on mine, and we stay in comfortable silence for a few more moments, enjoying our food.

I think back to our conversation yesterday, the conversation about how she’s liked me for so long, about how it’s been worse since Grom… _Wait a second._ “Wait a second!” I look up at Amity, eyes narrowed. She looks back, questioningly. “Was _I_ the person you wanted to ask to Grom?”

Amity looks at me, dumbstruck for a few seconds before breaking into laughter. Not mean-spirited laughter, laughter of disbelief. She wipes a tear from her eye, looking up at me and speaking through the giggles. “It took you THIS long to figure that out?” I blush slightly, opening my mouth to respond before she squeezes my hand softly. “Yes, you dork. Of course, I wanted to ask you. I’d been falling for you ever since you gave me Azura 5 way back on the night of the Wailing Star, but going into Willow’s mind is when I realized how hard I was crushing on you.” She smiles warmly at me, rubbing small circles on my hand with her thumb. “You were always so kind and selfless and smart and funny. There was no one I would rather go to Grom with. And then the dance.” She sighs dreamily, eyes shining with the memory of the night. “I know it was a battle for our lives, but that dance was quite possibly the happiest I’d ever been.” She blushes slightly, averting her eyes. “Aside from last night when you said you liked me too.” She practically whispers the last part, but I smile all the same.

We sit there for some more time before I respond. “I’m sorry…” I cut myself off, reformulating my thoughts before Amity can tell me not to apologize. “I wish one of us had done something about it sooner. I can’t say I’ve had a crush on you for quite as long, but my feelings for you have only been growing these past couple of weeks. You can’t understand how happy it makes me to know you feel the same way. There’s no one in this or any realm that I’d rather be on a date with right now.” We’re both blushing messes, and neither of us really know what to say anymore.

By this point, our food is reduced to crumbs, and our drinks are empty, so Amity stands up, gesturing outside. “Shall we continue to our next stop?” 

I smile, nodding eagerly and standing, grabbing both of our trash before Amity can. I gesture elaborately, putting on a false posh accent. “If the lady would like to go ahead, I shall handle the filthy detritus of our meal.” Amity giggles quietly, blush still on her cheeks, but she obliges, bowing her head and walking to the door. I dump the trash as we step outside, looking around. “So? Where to next?”

Amity looks at me with a smirk. “It’s a surprise.” She says coyly, throwing a wink at me that makes my heart skip a beat. Whatever confidence has overtaken her seems to be working overtime because she grasps my hand, pulling me after her. A smile spreads across my face, and a laugh breaks out of my chest. The energy of the day coursing through both of us, we sprint through the market, almost flying across the ground.

***

After a few minutes of running, we slow down, Amity taking some shortcuts, still holding my hand. For a second, it looks like she’s scanning the crowd for someone, and she suddenly jerks us to the side. I’m about to ask who she’s looking for before she turns around and smiles at me. “I really think you’ll like this place.” My heart skips a beat at her smile, and we’re both staring into each other’s eyes for a couple of seconds when suddenly we collide with someone.

“Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry!” I look around, trying to see who we hit. “Are you ok? I’m so sorry I wasn’t looking where I was…” I see the girl on the ground now, a silver-haired witch I recognize. “Oh, Skara?” I hold out a hand to help her up. She smiles at me, accepting the hand up. “Again, I’m really sorry about that.”

Skara waves it off, dusting off her clothes before looking back at me and smiling warmly. “No problem, Luz. We all make mistakes, right?” I nod, smiling back. It’s at this moment that I remember the girl whose hand I’m still holding, and my mind goes into overdrive. _Wait, I know Amity said Skara was nice, but Skara knows Amity’s parents and Amity’s parents probably aren’t going to be a fan of me and if Skara says…_

My thoughts are cut off as I feel a slight pressure on my hand. I look up to see Amity looking at me, concern in her eyes. _She must have noticed me spiraling._ I take a deep breath, centering myself, focusing on the warmth of her hand in mine.

Skara looks between us awkwardly for a second before Amity turns away from my gaze and looks at Skara. They talked for a minute about some school project they’re working on, and I’m starting to feel a little uncomfortable when Skara turns back to me, smiling brightly. “Hey Luz, I wanted to say thank you.” I blink, about to ask why when she continues. “I wasn’t lying about what I said after Bard class. You’re a really cool person, and I kinda look up to you a little. You’re someone who’s so intensely positive, and you show people at school that they can be who they want to be. You even stood up to Boscha; no one’s ever done that before.” She pauses, taking a deep breath. “You’ve really made such a difference to the students, and you’ve brought out a side of Amity that I don’t think I’ve ever seen. At least, not fully. You bring out the best in people, and you care so deeply about your friends. That’s really inspiring, and I just wanted to say thanks because you made me see that there’s another way to live than Boscha’s way.”

For a few seconds, I’m stunned. “Skara. I… I’m not sure what to say. Thank you? That really means a lot.” 

Skara’s smile widens, and she nods enthusiastically. “Of course, Luz. You’re a good person, and I hope I can be a good person too, and I wanted you to know how much I appreciate your example.” I’m trying to formulate a response when Skara’s scroll pings, and she looks at it. “Ah well, looks like I gotta go.” She waves at us both, turning at walking away. “See you both at school tomorrow!”

I stare after the girl, wildly unsure of what just happened. I look over at Amity, and I swear I see her wipe a smug grin off her face at the last second. “That was really nice of her.”

An almost knowing smile finds its way onto Amity’s face as she nods. “It was. I told you, Skara’s a nice person.” She gives my hand a squeeze and bumps my shoulder with hers. “Now come on, we’re almost to the next stop.”

***

After a few more minutes of strolling through the market, we arrive, Amity proudly presenting the store in front of us. “Welcome, Luz, to Norville’s Craft Supply Depot!” My eyes open wide, almost sparkling in excitement. I turn to Amity, and I see her smiling at me, eyes shining as she takes in my expression. “You look excited. Let’s get you inside before you explode.” I laugh softly at that, letting her pull me inside the store.

I take a look around, eyes still wide in awe. I didn’t know the Isles had craft supply stores. Of course, the market is enormous, and I’ve explored probably less than half of it, so I’m not surprised I missed it. But still, there is so much in here! I see some stuff I recognize: construction paper, glue bottles, various cutting implements. But there’s also some stuff that I don’t recognize. My eyes are immediately drawn to what looks like a barrel of eyeballs. _Ugh. Why’s it always eyeballs with this island._ My eyes next flicker to what might be a stapler, except there are way more teeth on it then I would expect a regular stapler to have. I point it out to Amity. “What are those?”

Amity walks over to the display, pulling me with her. I keep forgetting we’re still holding hands, but it’s always a pleasant surprise when I’m reminded. “Oh, these? Do you not have conffetifiers on Earth?”

I laugh softly at the name, looking closer at the objects. “No, we don't have those. I think…” I pause for a second. “Ya know, I’m not really sure how we make confetti back home. A toothy maw definitely makes sense for here, though.” Amity laughs at that, and she starts leading me through the store, explaining any other oddities I ask about. She picks up a few things for a school project, and I pick up some stuff for my own arts and crafts projects I’ve wanted to do ever since I got here.

As we’re digging through some discount craft bins in the back of the shop, I see Amity checking her scroll, seemingly anxious. I furrow my eyebrows, curious what she’s checking her scroll for. _I hope she’s not having a bad time…_ My train of thought is cut off as she looks over the bins and waves. I look forward and see Gus standing down the aisle ahead of us. I also wave, calling out. “Hey, Gus!”

Gus smiles at us and walks over, also holding some art supplies in his arms. “Hey, guys! I’m here to get some supplies for a project for one of the classes I take at Hexside.” He speaks in a weirdly robotic manner, and I swear I hear a slap from Amity, but I look over, and she’s smiling patiently at Gus. _She’s probably not happy about all these interruptions. I know I don’t mind, but this is supposed to be a date._

I turn back to Gus. “That sounds cool, Gus! We’re just here, uh…” I can feel my cheeks heat up slightly. I’m not embarrassed to be dating Amity by any means; it’s just still very new to me.

Amity saves me from myself, finishing my sentence confidently. “We’re on a date.” She presents our still linked hands as proof.

Gus’s face lights up in a huge smile. “Oh, finally? Guess I owe Willow some snails…” My eyebrows furrow. I’m about to ask what Gus is talking about and why he sounds both unsurprised and, again, kind of stilted in his speaking, but he starts speaking before my mind can get on track properly. “I know you two are on a date, but I was hoping - if it’s okay with you, Amity - could I just get a quick word with Luz?”

Amity beside me nods, a small smile on her face. “Of course, Gus.” Amity steps back slightly, and my hand feels cold in her absence. I turn to Gus, head tilted to the side in curiosity.

He clears his throat, and I can see his whole demeanor change. Before, he was nervous, almost like he had stage fright. Now he seems relaxed, and there’s a warm, genuine look on his face. He starts speaking, his voice softer and warmer. “Luz, I just wanted to thank you for being my friend. You’ve done so much for me since you showed up. Before you, I only really had Willow, and she never really shared my interests in humans. Even in the H.A.S. I was always a little _too_ enthusiastic about humans. So you being here makes me feel valid in a way no one else has. You’ve encouraged me, answered every question I have, and no matter how much I push, you’re always happy to be there for me. I always feel a little weird in the group, being the youngest, but you make me feel like a real part of the group. Like you aren’t all just humoring me, that you care about my interests. And I’ve never really had someone make me feel that way, so thanks.” He finally looks up at me, the warm smile on his face shining brightly at me.

I can feel the tears in the corner of my eyes, and I dash around the bargain bins, picking Gus up and giving him a tight hug. He laughs, hugging me back. I put him down and wipe a tear from my eye. “Gus, thank _you_. And you’re welcome. You’re one of my best friends, and I’m so glad I can help you feel like your interests are worth something. I know what it’s like to be an outcast for my weird interests, so I’m really happy to be able to support you in whatever way I can.”

I hear Amity step up behind me, and I feel a hand on my shoulder. “We all are, Gus. I know I’m not exactly great friends with you yet, but I’m always here if you want to talk about humans.”

I chuckle softly, a smirk rising onto my face. “Oh yea, Gus. Amity’s very interested in humans, from what I’ve heard. I’m sure she’d love to know all about human courtship rituals.” I gently elbow Amity in the ribs, and Gus and I both break out in laughter as she starts spluttering, her face going red. Gus says goodbye once Amity calms down and heads out of the store.

Amity shakes her head slowly, a wry smile on her face. She puts her hand back in mine, our fingers intertwining. She turns her eyes up to meet mine with a look that’s a combination of exasperation and adoration. “You’re going to do that every chance you get now, aren’t you?”

I laugh softly, nodding in the affirmative. “Of course, I am Amity. Your gay cal _Amitys_ are incredibly adorable.” I laugh a little louder at her response to that. While she still blushes a little, I mostly see righteous indignation on her face at the audacity of my pun. She grumbles something about ‘humans and their stupid puns’ while she walks us through the rest of the store, grabbing the last few things she needs. I stop laughing after a minute, and I can see, despite her grumbling, a smile spreading across her face and a touch of pink tinting the tips of her ears. And no matter how exasperated she might be with me, she never lets go of my hand.

***

We weave through the lanes of the market. At one point, Amity checks her scroll, and she speeds up ever so slightly. _She sure is being weird. It almost seems like she’s on a schedule or something?_ Before I can dig too much into that thought, we stop before our next location, and while I’ve never been to this particular store, I recognize it instantly. I see the shelves in the window, and even from outside, I can smell the scent of parchment and ink. I let out a high-pitched squeal, wrapping Amity in a hug. “You brought me to a bookstore! Titan, this is already such a great date.”

Amity blushes slightly, laughing as she lets me hug her. “Luz, we both know how much we both like reading. It wasn’t exactly an inspired choice to bring you to a bookstore.”

I shove her playfully, smiling warmly at her. “Yea, yea, yea, but I still think it’s sweet. Accept my compliment, you dork.”

She laughs softly at that, then gestures towards the door. “Shall we? I have a few series I wanted to introduce you to since you haven’t read a lot of Boiling Isles fiction.” I squeal again, nodding excitedly. Amity again laughs at my enthusiasm, a warm sound that fills me with joy. “Oh wait, before we head in.” She holds up her purchases from the craft store, spinning a spell circle and teleporting them away. She holds her hand out for my purchases.

I narrow my eyes in faux suspicion at her. “Where are you sending them?”

She smirks slightly, throwing a quick wink my way. “It’s a surprise. Don’t you trust me?”

I blush softly, a smile on my face. “There’s no one I trust more.” I hand my bag of craft supplies to a now blushing Amity, smile widening at the reaction. She teleports my things to wherever she’s sending them, then laces her fingers through mine again, pulling me inside the shop.

We walk around the store, Amity showing off various fiction series she thinks I might enjoy. There’s mostly a lot of fantasy, similar to Azura, but with unique Boiling Isles twists. Like the story about a knight and a princess where the knight is eaten by the demon guarding the princess, and the princess ends up falling in love with the demon. Amity says that’s not a spoiler because it’s just a ‘common fantasy trope.’ I laugh softly at that, thinking about all of the same-y fantasy books back home that would be the exact opposite. She also shows me some books on humans, and as I flip through them, I have to laugh. “No wonder Gus is so wrong about humans. Almost nothing in this book is right!”

Amity looks at the book for a few seconds, then up to me, trying to act nonchalant. “Yea, for sure. There was that whole section about biting to mark romantic partners. That’s just ridiculous.“ I can see a blush noticeably spreading across her cheeks. “I mean, that’s so weird; who would want to do that? Only weirdos, am I right?” She lets out a forced laugh then pauses, gulping. “I should stop talking.”

I’m stunned for a second, watching the blush on her face deepen the longer I don’t say anything. After a few moments, a small peal of laughter escapes me, and I shake my head. “No, Amity. That’s not a thing humans do.” I think for a second, a small amount of heat creeping onto my cheeks. “I. I mean. Well, actually... There are these things called hickies. And they’re kinda like that. But, I mean, I don’t really know why people do it, and, yeah, I guess it’s kinda weird, but I mean. Not that I wouldn’t… Um, I mean, it’s weird, unless you _don’t_ think it’s weird, but…” I almost jump out of my skin when I feel a hand land on my shoulder. _Oh, thank the Titan._ I can feel the blush has now spread over my entire face, and I take a quick few breaths to get myself under control.

I turn around as I hear a familiar laugh from behind me. I see Viney, Jerbo, and Barcus standing there with Viney’s hand on my shoulder. She smiles at me. “Sorry about that Luz, didn’t mean to scare you.” She looks up at Amity. “Also, you know hickies aren’t an uncommon practice for witches either? Just ask your sister.” She winks at Amity before turning her eyes back to me. I hear a squeak behind me, but I try focusing on Viney.

I laugh shakily, waving a hand to dismiss the apology. “No, no, no, not your fault at all. I was just a bit too uh…” I pause for a second, blushing slightly. “Distracted for a moment there. Anyway, what are you three doing here?”

Jerbo holds up a few books. “Just getting some extra study material for classes. What about you two?”

“Well, right now we’re laughing at this book of ‘Human Facts’ which are, just, hilariously wrong. Also…” I pause, looking at Amity for a moment. She nods, and I smile warmly at her, reaching out to grab her hand. “Amity and I are here on a date.”

Barcus barks in what sounds like congratulations, Jerbo gives a soft smile, and Viney looks at me questioningly. “Alright, which one of you actually asked first?”

My brow furrows slightly in confusion before responding. “Uh, Amity did, why would that…”

Viney curses quietly, pulling out a few snails and tossing them to Amity. “Give those to your sister.”

I look between the two, Amity looking just as confused as I am. I look over at Viney. “Did _everyone_ bet on our relationship?”

Viney laughs again, waving it off. “Anyway... Hey, we were hoping to talk to you for a quick minute.”

I narrow my eyes at them, trying to guess what they want. I’m starting to get an inkling that all of these curious meetings aren’t just coincidental. “Yeah sure, what did you want to talk about?”

Jerbo starts speaking first. “We just wanted to thank you. You’re one of the first people at Hexside to take us seriously. Most kids there just saw us as outcasts, and the teachers only saw us as trouble. But you saw us as people first.”

Viney continues. “And we never really stood up for ourselves. So you standing up for us, encouraging us to be who we are, and getting Bump to agree to let us multi-track really means a lot to us.”

Barcus makes various growls and barks, and Jerbo translates. “We know what it’s like to be outcasts, to feel like you don’t belong in a place you love. We wanted you to know that we really appreciate all you’ve done for us. That you made us feel accepted, and we hope you feel the same way.”

By the time they finish speaking, my hands are tucked under my chin, my eyes shining on the verge of tears. I rush forward, wrapping the group in a hug. “Thank you so much for saying that. It means a lot to hear that from all of you.” I step back, kicking my foot against the ground sheepishly. “When I first came to Hexside, I was really worried about making a good first impression, and I really thought I’d messed it up with you all. So it really means a lot to me that you see me that way.”

They smile warmly at me, Viney speaking up again. “Of course, Luz. Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker.” She punches me softly on the arm, waving as the group turns to go. “Now get back to your date, you dork.”

I blush slightly, turning back to Amity. I seem to catch the barest hint of an unusual expression on her face before it shifts back to the soft, small smile she’s been wearing all day. _There’s no way. She couldn’t have. When would she have had the time?_ She reaches for my hand, and I push the thoughts out of my mind for the time being. We finish browsing, I pick up a few new books to try out, and we walk out together. Just as we exit, my stomach grumbles again, and I smile sheepishly at Amity. “Guess I didn’t really have a huge breakfast.”

Amity laughs softly. “No problem, I’m getting hungry too. And I think I know exactly the place to go.” She starts to pull me towards the back of the market, traveling down a familiar path. I smile as I recognize where we’re headed.

***

We turn a final corner, popping out of an alleyway right at the edge of the market. Just as I suspected, I can see the hole in the ground leading down to the cafe from last weekend. Not that I’m not already smiling, but my smile widens even more. “Amity, bringing me to your secret getaway twice in a week? I might start thinking you like me if this keeps up.”

Amity snorts softly _\- Wow, even her snorts are cute -_ and bumps her shoulder against mine. “Yea, well, don’t feel too good about yourself. I bring the twins here. You’ll know I’m really into you when I bring you to my SUPER secret hideout.” She winks at me, a smirk on her face.

I blush for a second before a smirk crosses my own face. “Oh, you mean like your secret library hideout that you only let me into?” I return a wink, her face blossoming with color. I let out a short laugh, tugging her along by our still intertwined hands. “Come on, Calamity, I’m starving.”

She follows, shaken out of her blush by my new nickname. “Did you- Is that a nickname? Is your first pet name for me just you making fun of how flustered I get?”

The smirk remains on my lips. “I mean, of course. You’re just so cute when you blush, I had to commemorate it.” I wink again, and despite her very obviously trying to avoid being flustered by it, I notice a small amount of red at the tips of her ears. I laugh, switching to a warm smile. “Ok, but for real, let’s get something to eat.” She sighs, smiling back at me, and leads us inside.

It’s just as it was last time. Warm, cozy, quiet. Amity leads me around the outskirts of the dining room, and I’m about to ask why we aren’t taking the same table from last time when I notice a familiar head of blue hair and a signature yellow dress. I look at Amity, eyebrow raised. She just smiles innocently at me, leading me over to the table. She speaks up as we approach. “Oh hey, Willow, fancy meeting you here.”

Willow rolls her eyes and stands up, giving us both hugs. I tentatively sit down after Amity sits at the table. I’m looking between Amity and Willow, several questions running through my mind. I already have an inkling that all of these meetings were planned by Amity, but this cinches it. I don’t think Willow would have just happened to find her way to this cafe today without Amity telling her to meet us here.

I’m about to speak up when Willow looks over to me and smiles warmly. “I don’t want to take up too much of your time. I know this is a date, which by the way, congrats.” I blush slightly at her words. “And I don’t want to interrupt you two too much. I just wanted to come by and say a few things to you, Luz.”

I nod slightly, shifting slightly in my seat to face her. She smiles that warm Willow smile she has, speaking softly. “You’re very important to me, Luz. You’re really the best friend I’ve ever had. You’ve stuck up for me no matter what; you even stood up to Boscha. You believed in me when almost no one else would, you helped me become more confident in myself, you helped me make new friends.” She looks over at Amity for a second, throwing a small smile her way. “And some old friends too.” She looks back at me, an intensity in her eyes I had only seen a few times before. “Luz, trust me when I say I know how hard it is to be bullied, to be an outcast, to feel like no one loves you. But we do. I do. Amity obviously does.” She says the last part teasingly, and I see Amity’s cheeks flushing out of the corner of my vision. “I want you to remember that. When you’re feeling down, when it feels like everyone’s against you, when it feels like you have no one to turn to. You do, always. We’re all here for you, no matter what. Because you’re our friend, and we’re yours. Ok?”

By the time Willow finishes speaking, I can feel a few tears running down my cheeks, and I reach forward, wrapping her in a tight hug. She returns the gesture, and we stay that way for a few seconds. I pull back, wiping a tear from my face before speaking. “Thank you so much, Willow. Obviously, all of…” I pause, gesturing vaguely at myself. “This. Won’t be solved immediately. Or easily, or even at all. But knowing - really, really knowing - that I have people that care for me helps—a lot. You were the first friend I made here, the first real friend I’ve…” I pause, considering. “Yea, the first real friend I’ve ever had. Outside of mi mami, but that doesn’t really count, ya know?” I laugh softly. “So knowing that you care about me is just really encouraging. So again, Willow, thank you so much.”

She nods, giving me another quick hug before standing. She waves to Amity, who nods in what I have to assume is thanks to her. “Oh, and before I leave.” She pulls out her wallet, laying some snails on the table. “This one’s on me; I recently came into some extra funds thanks to Gus’s poor judgment. Enjoy the rest of the day, you two.” And she walks out of the cafe, leaving Amity and I alone again.

I smile after her for a moment before moving to take the seat she had vacated so I’m sitting across from Amity now. I inspect her for a few seconds, thinking about all the people that have come up to me today. After a few long moments of inspection, Amity seems to get restless and creases her eyebrows. “What are you looking at me like that for?”

I smirk, resting my chin against one of my hands. “What, am I not allowed to appreciate how pretty my date is?” I laugh softly as she blushes again. _I’m so glad I spent so much time writing all those romance fics. I’m not half bad at this. Or maybe she’s just easily flustered? Eh, I’m working on my self-confidence. I’ll take this one as a win._

The server shows up, and we order just as the blush leaves Amity’s face. We order the same thing we got last time, a familiar routine already forming for our lunches here. We eat in silence for a few moments before I think of something to ask. “So I thought you said you’d only brought the twins here before; when did Willow find out?”

Amity blushes slightly, but it’s not out of embarrassment; she looks almost regretful. “Ah. Well, after the photo incident, I brought her here as an apology. I’m sorry I didn’t bring you here first, I just…”

I cut her off with my hand and a smile. “Amity. It’s your place. You get to bring whoever you want here.”

She smiles softly, relief in her eyes. “Thank you. I’ve uh, I’ve been trying to make things up to her. Obviously, standing up to Boscha is one thing, but we haven’t spent time together in years. So I just felt that it would be nice to actually spend some one-on-one time with her. Really talk and catch up on what I’ve missed in the past 8 years.”

She’s been talking to her hands for most of that, but then she looks back up at me and lets out a small laugh of surprise at my face. My hands are held under my chin in little fists, and my eyes are sparkling. In a high-pitched voice, I state, “You are just so cute!”

She blushes slightly at the compliment, eyes shining back at me. “Well, really, it’s mostly thanks to you.” I go to interrupt her, but she grabs the hand I was about to wave and squeezes it softly. “Really, Luz. I know you’re going to say it was ‘nothing’ or ‘you would have done the same thing’ or ‘Willow wouldn’t have accepted you back if she didn’t know you meant it’ and while those are all true now, they weren’t a month ago.” I smile softly at her, at how well she knows exactly what I would say. “If you’d never showed up, I’d still be the same Amity you saw that first day. The one who cared only about status, who bullied Willow, who would do _anything_ to please my parents.” She smiles, softly stroking her thumb across the back of my hand. “But you’ve changed all that. You’ve changed me by doing nothing more than being yourself by being your wonderful, optimistic, kind, bubbly, genuine self. So thank you for that, too. On top of everything else you’ve done for me.”

I turn my hand over in hers, interweaving our fingers once again. I know I’ve held her hand a lot before yesterday anyway, but knowing what it means now, how Amity feels about it, how much it means to the both of us just to hold hands, it really changes the whole experience. “Well, Amity, then you are welcome. It makes me so happy that I can be a positive force in your life. I want nothing more than to help you be happier.” We stare into each other’s eyes, hands locked, just enjoying the eye contact and this moment of peace on the typically hectic Boiling Isles. Almost without thought, I shift my grip on her hand, pulling it up and laying a soft kiss on the back of it. I look up in time to see Amity’s entire face light up red, and I swear I can almost see steam pouring out of her ears. I laugh softly, returning our hands to their original positions, but I can feel the blush on my cheeks as well.

We finish the last bits of our meals, heading up to the counter and paying with the snails Willow left us. Amity pulls me outside, checking her scroll. She’s barely even hiding it now, and I’m sure she knows that I at least have a reasonably good idea of what’s going on. She sends a quick message, grumbling slightly at the response. I squeeze her hand, and she looks over at me, the frustration quickly draining from her face. I smile brightly at her. “So? Where to next?”

***

We walk through the market for some time, browsing stalls here and there as Amity keeps us moving at a somewhat quicker-than-casual pace towards our next destination. At some point, I notice her brow is twitching in annoyance, and she’s looking around like she’s expecting someone to be here. I hear her whisper something under her breath, but all I catch is something that sounds like ‘those two,’ and I’m pretty sure I know who we’re meeting next.

Just as I’m about to speak up and ask how I can help, we both hear a familiar set of laughs coming out of a nearby alleyway, and Amity sighs audibly, dragging me into the alleyway. I see the twins with their backs to us as some shady looking shopkeeper runs away with a pair of bats clawing at his hair. Before I can ask what happened, Amity loudly clears her throat, and the twins turn, smiles still plastered on their faces as if nothing is wrong.

“Took you long enough, Mittens.” Emira teased. Then turns to me, winking. “Hey, cutie.” I laugh softly, waving, although I notice Amity not-so-silently seething next to me.

I give Amity’s hand a reassuring squeeze, and she looks at me, calming down just a little. She turns back to the twins. “Why weren’t you two in your spots?”

Edric makes an exasperated sigh. “We _were_. But then this jerk decided to try and scam us.”

Emira smirks. “So we decided to humor him.”

Edric smiles wickedly. “I don’t think he’s gonna be scamming anyone for a while now.”

Amity rolls her eyes, sighing audibly. “Didn’t you two have something you wanted to say?”

Emira leans forward, Edric imitating her as they both put on leering smirks. “Yea, Mittens. We wanted to say we’re very proud of Luz.”

Edric finishes his twin’s thought. “For finally asking _you_ out.”

I look at Amity, who merely smirks, pulling the sack of snails she got from Viney earlier and lobbing them to Emira. “Actually, I asked her out.”

Emira weighs the bag in her hand. “Well, look at you go, Mittens. Proud of you.”

Edric smirks. “Yea, we thought you’d melt away into tomato soup before you ever actually plucked up the courage to ask her.”

Instantly, I see the anger at her siblings come back into her face. Amity screams and lunges at her siblings, and they fall into a pile. I laugh slightly as the trio wrestle around on the ground for a second before Amity eventually triumphs, laying atop both of the twins. She lets a long-suffering breath slip past her lips. “You two are insufferable sometimes.” She breathes, although I can see a small twinge of a smile on her lips.

I walk over, holding my hand out to Amity. She accepts, allowing me to pull her up towards me. The twins both look up at me, hands under their chin to accentuate their puppy dog eyes. I roll my eyes before helping them both up too. “You’re lucky Amity goes easy on you two.”

Emira gasps, hand on her chest. “Going easy on us? Mittens, is this true?”

Edric turns accusatorially at Amity. “Have you not been giving it your all in our fights? You know we never hold back.”

Amity smirks. “And yet, I beat you both every single time. Clearly, I’m holding back because I don’t want to waste my energy.”

The twins looked shocked for a second before bursting out laughing. I join in, and even Amity cracks a small smile. After we all calm down, I see Amity give the twins a look and they both nod in unison, turning to me. I’m expecting it at this point, and I know that Amity asked them to do it, but they don’t have to. But they are. And that feels nice.

Emira starts. “Luz, we want to thank you for looking out for Mittens. We haven’t exactly been the best older siblings, and we really appreciate you being there for her when we weren’t.”

Edric nods. “Ever since the library incident, we have been trying to be better, but we’re still...” He gestures vaguely at the two of them. “Well, you know how we are.”

Emira punches his shoulder lightly. “What Edric is trying to say is you’ve done more for Amity in the couple of weeks you’ve been here than we have in, well, our entire lives.”

Edric sticks his tongue out at Emira, rubbing his arm, before turning back to me. “And on top of that, you’ve helped us, ya know, not be as terrible.”  
  


Emira nods again. “Your insistence on helping Mittens, both during Grom and when you refused to let us take her diary, reminded us that we’re her siblings. We’re supposed to be looking out for her, not putting her down.”

“We’re trying to be better.” Edric steps forward and lightly ruffles Amity’s hair. “But even if we’re not perfect all the time, we know she has someone that is.”

The twins smile warmly at me, and I can see the appreciation in their eyes. I walk forward and hug them, and they return it, surprisingly tender for them. I pull back to thank them for their words, but as I do, I notice the fading afterimage of two spell circles. I suddenly see my arms enraptured in fluffy sleeves with paws on the end, and then I look down, seeing that I’m wearing my otter onesie. At the same time, I hear a strangled cry of outrage from behind me. I turn to see Amity, standing there in a full lynx onesie. I hear footsteps quickly retreating behind me, and I turn to see the twins already at the other end of the alleyway.

“See ya later, cutie!” Emira calls back, with Edric adding on a “Have fun, Mittens!” as they turn the corner out of sight.

I turn back to Amity, laughing slightly at how red her face is. I step in front of her, placing my gloved hands on her shoulders. My touch seems to ground her, and she lets out a deep breath. “I swear I’m going to kill those two one day. They just can’t go 5 minutes being actually sincere.”

I laugh softly, bringing my paw up to her cheek, my eyes shining in admiration. “But they did, though. I mean, sure, they pulled a prank at the end, but they did. Because you asked them too.”

Amity blushes slightly, biting her bottom lip as she looked into my eyes. “So you figured it out, huh?”

A snort escapes me in response. “Amity, please. I know I have some good friends, but everyone that even remotely likes me, even _Skara_ , showing up and telling me how great I am?” I smile softly at her, taking both of her hands in mine. Well. Paws. “I’m not _that_ dumb, Amity. I know someone had to set it up. I know what you’re trying to do, and I must say, it’s definitely working. And I wanted to thank you too. You saw the deepest, rawest part of me last night. And you’re still here. And you’re not just here; you’re doing everything you can to make me feel like I’m worth it.” I pause briefly, pursing my lips, looking down at her hands. “And no one, not even my mother, has ever put _this_ much effort into making me feel accepted and loved. So thank you, Amity.” I look back up at her, a bright smile splitting my face. “This is the best first date I’ve ever had, and it’s barely lunch.”

Amity’s eyes are shining, on the verge of tears of happiness and appreciation. “Of course, Luz.” She laughs softly. “I’ve said this so many times today, but it’s so true. You’ve done so much for me. I needed to, no, I _wanted_ to do this. For you. Because we all see and love you for who you are. Being able to help you see how great you are is an honor, really.”

I pull her into a hug, and we stand there for some time, just embracing. Eventually, we pull back, and I realize I’m sweating as I notice the beads of sweat collecting on Amity’s forehead. “Wow, they really had to make these illusions realistically oppressive, huh?”

Amity growls softly, attempting to remove the offending garment of clothing. It doesn’t come off though, any attempt to do so just resist her pull and spring back into space. “They’re too good at magic for their own or anyone else’s good.” She grumbles under her breath.

I shrug. “Ah, well. At least we’re both incredibly adorable, even if we are gonna be a little sweaty til the illusion wears off.” I hold out my hand for hers, and she takes it gladly, even through the padded paw. “So? Where’s our next stop?”

Amity starts leading me in a direction I’m unfamiliar with. “This next one will be short, but I think you’ll like it just as much.” She says with a small smirk on her face. _Huh. That’s weird._

I realize as we walk what’s happening right now. Here I am, in an alternate dimension, a dimension of magic and demons, on a _date_ , with the cutest, smartest, kindest girl I’ve ever met. And now we’re out in public, walking around and holding hands in onesies. And we’re by no means getting the most looks in the market right now. _I think I could get used to it here._

***

Amity pulls me towards what looks like a slightly higher-end section of the market. Fewer stalls and more actual shops in buildings. She walks up to what looks like a jewelry store, eyes scanning the area around us. She lets out a huff of annoyance, muttering something about a ‘stupid demon’ when I hear a very familiar squeak coming from inside the shop in front of us. Looking inside the front window, sure enough, I see King standing on top of the counter, the store owner holding a golden crown out of his reach. I chuckle softly, drawing Amity’s attention to the incident. She rolls her eyes, starting to walk inside. “Alright, let’s go save him before the owner calls the guards.”

We walk inside, and I scoop King up into my arms. He makes a little ‘Weh!’ of surprise before noticing it’s me. “Sir, I’m so sorry about King. I’m sure…”

King scrabbles up onto my shoulder, pointing a finger at him. “Now that my minion is here, I, the King of Demons, will lay waste to this entire store for daring to keep that crown from its rightful owner!’

Amity steps in front of both of us, interrupting the shop owner who looks about ready to kill both of us. He seems to instantly recognize her, probably by her hair and bows as a sign of respect. “Miss Blight, I didn’t see you there. It is an honor to have you in my humble shop today. How may I best serve you?”

Amity smiles warmly at him, giving us a little shooing motion behind her back. I don’t need a second hint; I move away from the counter as Amity distracts him, discussing some new pieces he has recently acquired. I take King to the back of the store, setting him down on the floor behind a display. “Hey buddy, calm down.” I can see him about to launch into a speech, so I continue. “Hey, I know that crown is very pretty, but you don’t need that one. I bet it’s not even handmade.” I lean in to whisper to him. “It looked mass-produced, probably not even one-of-a-kind. You don’t want to be a king with some kind of fake crown, do you?” He crosses his arms grumpily but concedes my point. “So what are you doing here anyway? I thought you were helping out Eda at the stand today?”

King perks up. “Oh, right! I had some things I wanted to say to you!” He pulls some notecards out of… Actually, I don’t know where they come from. He doesn’t have pockets, he doesn’t even have pants? But I’ve seen him do this before, just produce objects as if out of thin air. I shake my head to clear away thoughts of hammerspace and listen as King clears his throat. “Luz the human! As the top minion in my army of darkness, it is important that you know how much I appreciate your help!” He goes to flip a card, but as he does, he fumbles with them, dropping them to the ground.

He fumbles around for a second before I put a hand on top of his skull. He looks up at me, and I smile warmly. “You don’t have to prepare speeches for me, buddy. You’re one of my best friends. You can just tell me how you feel.”

King crosses his arms, looking down for a second before sighing. “I just wanted to say that I do appreciate you, Luz. Eda and I have never gotten along the best, but you’re always so nice to me. You listen to my stories about demons, and you go along with my crazy plans, and you help me steal cookies from the top shelf of the kitchen. And I just really like that you’re here. It makes the Owl House a really fun place to live in.” He shuffles a little closer, hesitantly holding his arms out to me. I draw him into a hug, giving him a few chin scritches.

I put him back down, smiling. “Thank you, King. That’s really nice of you. I like you too, you’re just as patient with me and my harebrained schemes, and it’s nice to know there’s someone here with the same kind of chaotic energy as me.”

He nods, looking around the corner of the display. “Hey, where’d the cupcake smasher go?”

I stand up, looking around. Both Amity and the shop owner seem to have stepped away. “Huh. I dunno.” I look around, eyes alighting on the various pieces of jewelry around me. I feel the weight of the coins on my belt and remember Eda’s words when she gave them to me. I look down at King. “Hey buddy, you wanna help me pick out a present for the cupcake smasher?”

King looks offended for a second but then thinks it over. “You know, if we get her to join my army, she would be an incredibly powerful ally. Alright, let’s do it!” He scampers up to my shoulder, and I giggle. We look around the store, King mostly pointing out big, flashy, and far too pricey jewelry. We get near the back of the store when a small glint catches my eye, and I look over to a display case holding various bronze rings. They seem within my price range, and after a moment of scanning, my eyes land on one, in particular, one that I recognize. I smile, reaching in and pulling it out. I show it to King, asking him for his thoughts. He inspects it for a moment before nodding. “A little plain, but it has a crown on it, so I approve!”

We walk back up to the front of the store, being careful to avoid being seen by Amity. As we approach, I can see the shopkeep back at the counter, and I can see a head of green hair sitting outside on a bench. I smile, walking up to the shopkeep. “Hi, so sorry again about earlier, but hopefully some business of mine can smooth things over?”

I place the ring on the counter, and he inspects it, then me, then King. After a moment, a smile breaks out on his face. “If you’re associates of Miss Blight, you’re always welcome in my store. And I’ll say, as a first-time purchaser with such kind manners, I’ll even take 10% off the price for you.” I smile warmly at him, handing over the appropriate amount of snails and thanking him profusely for his kindness. Interestingly, while I can’t remove the onesie, my hands are still able to slip through the fabric to retrieve my coin pouch. _See, at least the twins aren’t TO mean._ I carefully slip the ring, now in a small pouch, into my pocket before heading outside.

Amity smiles at me as she sees me walk out of the shop, standing up and walking over. I turn to King on my shoulder and hesitate for a moment before speaking. “Hey buddy, I’m gonna keep hanging out with Amity, if that’s okay with you? I’ll see you back at the Owl House later tonight, ok?”

King thinks about it for a second before nodding. “Just make sure the cupcake smasher agrees to join my army!” He says before skittering down my leg and running away, surely to get himself into more trouble. I smile, watching him run away before turning back to Amity.

She has a slightly bemused look on her face as I take her hand again. “What’s that about joining his army?”

I laugh softly. “Well, he seems to respect your strength, proven of course by your ability to crush a cupcake beneath your foot.” Amity grits her teeth, seemingly not the happiest about being reminded of that event. I squeeze her hand softly. “Hey, that’s in the past. I moved past it long ago, and I know King has forgiven you in his own way. He just has a hard time admitting his feelings sometimes, ya know?” 

I smile reassuringly at her, and she takes a deep breath before smiling back. “Yea, yea, I suppose you’re right. Thanks for that, Luz.”

“Of course, Amity.” I blush ever so slightly for a moment, thinking of the ring in my pocket. “Hey, so uh, before we move onto the next stop, I actually uh,” I pause for a moment, suddenly nervous. “I got something for you.” Amity’s eyes widen, full of both light surprise and appreciation. I pull the pouch out of my pocket and open it. “So uh, it’s interesting, I found this, and it’s actually a design I recognized from back on earth. I didn’t know they made them here, so it’s really cool that I could find one. I don’t really know all the actual cultural relevance of it, I uh. Heh. This is so dorky. I actually saw them on a tv show, and I’ve loved the idea of them ever since.” I pull the ring out of the pouch, showing the polished auburn object to Amity. “It’s called a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown loyalty, and the heart represents…” I blush softly, looking at the ring. “Well, the heart represents love, of course. And it represents different things, depending on how you wear it. For instance.” I take her right hand, and as I move the ring closer, the illusion actually dissipates for a moment. _Alright, the twins clearly put more thought into this than I initially gave them credit for._ I slide the ring onto the index finger of her right hand, heart facing inwards towards her body. “If you wear it like this, It means you’re in a relationship.” I finally look back up into her eyes and notice a blush has covered almost her entire face.

I realize what I had just insinuated and remember we haven’t really talked about what we actually are. “I-I mean if you want to be. I know, I know we never really talked about if we’re, like, actually girlfriends or not, but like, I mean, I think this date is going pretty well, and I really like you, and I think it would be cool if you…” And I’m cut off by Amity throwing her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. I’m surprised by the suddenness but quickly return the gesture. 

I barely hear her when she speaks, her voice no more than a whisper. “Of course, I want to be your girlfriend, Luz.” My smile widens, and I pull her even closer, just enjoying that new fact. _I have a girlfriend._

Eventually, we pull back, and Amity looks sheepishly at the ground. “Well. I guess if that’s official, I guess I should commemorate the moment with a gift as well.” She spins a quick circle, and a small package falls into her hand. She bites her lip for a moment, looking suddenly very self-conscious. “I uh. I’m sorry that it’s not as… nice. As yours. Yours is so sweet, and I can tell how much it cost, and now I feel bad about how little I spent on mine, and I just…”

She pauses as I put a hand on her shoulder, smiling reassuringly at her. “Amity, money isn’t important in a gift. If you got something for me, I already love it, because just you thinking about me enough to get something for me already means the world to me. So please, stop thinking about how much it cost, and just tell me what it is, ok?”

Amity takes a deep breath, steadying herself, looking into my eyes, and seeming to calm down from whatever she sees there. “Alright.” She opens the lid, and inside is a simple necklace, a bronze chain with a small carved owl pendant hanging off the end of it. “I saw this, and I just- I had to get it for you. I know I haven’t spent a huge amount of time at the Owl House, but the time I have spent there is so so important to me. Just the couple of hours I’ve spent there has felt more like a home to me than Blight Manor has ever felt. I saw this pendant, and everything about it reminded me of you. The chain to match the warm tone of your skin, the wood to represent your strong and sturdy will, the owl to connect you to your mentor. I just saw it, and I thought of nothing but you. So I had to get it for you.”

She has been staring down at the necklace the whole time, and when she looks up, she sees my eyes once again shining with happy tears. I’m grinning from cheek to cheek, and I barely have the words to tell her how much I appreciate the thought that went into this gift. “Amity. I can’t even begin to say how kind those words are. To know that something as wonderful and adorable as this little owl reminded you so much of me.” I go to reach for the pendant, and she offers it happily. “I’ll cherish this forever.” I pull the pendant from the box, rolling it around to look at it closer. It’s a beautiful carving. I can tell from the way the grain runs that this is hand-carved, not worked by magic. It has a lovely sheen to it, a varnish to give it light and what I’m able to recognize as a minor enchantment to give it the barest sense of heat radiating off of it. I look back up at Amity, tears in my eyes. “Thank you, Amity, truly. This means so much to me. Could you…” I pause, looking back down at the necklace. “Could you put it on for me?”

We both flush, but Amity nods, gently taking the pendant from my hands and moving around behind me. She fiddles with the clasp for a few seconds; paws turn out to not be the easiest to open small clasps with, but she does eventually get the necklace around my neck, and I look down to see the pendant lying warmly against my chest, a constant small reminder of my girlfriend. _My Girlfriend._ I spin around, pulling Amity into a tight hug. We stay there for a few long moments, just enjoying the warmth of each other.

Eventually, we part, although our hands find their way back to each other. She pulls me along to our next stop, and I ask, “So? What’s up next?”

Amity smiles wide, face beaming in anticipation. “This next one’s special. I really think you’ll like it.” And with that, she turns, pulling me back into the chaos of the market.

***

We pop out between a few stalls, and I notice we’re in a familiar spot of the market—one of the common spots for Eda’s stall. And sure enough, looking to my left, there’s Eda haggling with some demon. Amity pulls me towards Eda’s stall, and my heart swells as I realize what’s about to happen. We approach just as the demon turns to walk away, and Eda notices us, throwing a smirk our way. She speaks up, directing her words at Amity. “Took you long enough to get here.”

Amity scoffs, waving the thought away. “Come on, Eda, you knew you were gonna be the last one.”

Eda chuckles softly. “Yea, yea, yea. Also.” She gestures to both of us. “What’s with the getup?”

Amity rolls her eyes, gritting her teeth. “The twins. They used some illusion magic on us, and we can’t get them off.”

Eda cackled at that, slapping her knee once. “That’s a good one.” She draws a quick circle, and the outfits are dispelled. “Couldn’t say what I’m about to with you in that ridiculous suit, no offense.” She says, turning to me, nodding her head in the direction of the tent. “Now, come on in, kid, I got some stuff I wanna say to you.”

I start walking after Eda, and I feel Amity’s hand slip out of mine. I look back at her, my hand still held out for hers. She shakes her head, gesturing me forward. “I’ll be right out here, but her words are for you alone.” I smile softly at her, nodding once before turning and heading into the tent.

Eda’s sitting on one of the boxes in the tent, and she gestures to another opposite her. I sit, nervously fidgeting with my hands. “So what did you want to talk about, Eda?”

Eda sighs softly, leaning forward and hunching over. She closes her eyes for a moment, and when she opens them to look back at me, I see a look in her eyes that I haven’t seen from anyone before, except for one person. It’s the look my mami gives me when she’s proud of me. I can already feel tears starting to prickle at the corner of my eyes.

She starts speaking, her voice quiet but firm. “Luz, you know I’m not the best with…” she pauses, gesturing vaguely with one of her hands. “Emotions. But Amity asked me to talk to you, and after our conversation earlier this week, I feel like you deserve to know, well, everything. You deserve to know how important you are…” She pauses again, a small smile pulled back over her fang. “How important you are to me.”

She takes a deep breath, preparing herself. “Luz, before you came around here, I wasn’t much. I was a hermit living a life of crime in the woods by myself. I did nothing all day but steal, heckle, cheat, and survive. But ever since you showed up, things have been… different. Your constant positivity has had a real effect on, well, obviously everyone, but for me, perhaps most of all. My power.” She spins a quick spell circle, a small orb of light popping into existence. “This power has always been just for me. It’s helped me forge my own path, sure, but it’s also gotten me into a lot of trouble. And ever since you showed up, I finally have something, someone, that I care about. That I want to protect.” She leans forwards, grasping one of my hands in both of hers. “You’re a real special kid, Luz. You’ve changed me, helped me open up, helped me think before I do. Because every time I’m about to do something dumb, I see you, your youth, your optimism, your bright smile. And I remember I have someone to protect now.” Eda looks me in the eyes, and I’m bawling at this point, but through it, I can see a single tear forming in Eda’s eye. 

She pauses, chewing softly on the bottom of her lip, seemingly nervous about whatever she’s about to say next. “I’ve never really been the mothering type. And I know you have a mother back home, but... You’re important to me, Luz. I know you want to go back at some point to see your mom. But I want you to know that if you ever want it, you always have a home at the Owl House. I think, maybe a little selfishly, that you belong here. You’re an incredible witch, a great friend, and a force for good. You deserve to be in a place that accepts you for who you are. I’ve never really wanted a daughter before, but if it’s okay with you, I could never ask for a better kid.”

I rush forward off the box, wrapping my arms tightly around Eda. She lets out a gasp of air when I hit her, but I feel her arms wrap around me. I cry softly into her shoulder for a few moments before pulling back, wiping at my eyes with the heel of my palm. “Thank you, Eda. For all of that.” I pause for a moment, biting my lower lip in thought. “I don’t… I don’t know if I can take that offer right now. I do love you, and the Isles, and…” I blush slightly, eyes flickering to the outside of the tent. I hear Eda chuckle softly. “My friends. But I would need to talk to my mami after the summer’s over. Don’t get me wrong, I really, really would love to stay here. This place is everything I’d ever dreamed of. I just can’t leave my mami alone, ya know?” I look back up at Eda, hoping she won’t be disappointed.

She nods sagely, a small smile on her lips. “Of course I do, kiddo. It’s a big decision, and one you don’t need to answer just yet. Just know, the offer’s on the table.” I smile softly, leaning in for another quick hug.

“Thank you, Eda. Again. For everything.” I emphasize the last word, hoping to properly convey how much Eda means to me, how much everything she’s done for me since I arrived on the Isles has helped me.

After a few seconds, Eda pushes me back, signature smirk back on her face. “Alright, kid, let’s get you back to your date. That’s enough soft mushy stuff out of me for the next month, I think.” I giggle softly as we walk out of the tent.

As we step through the fabric, we see a very serious looking Amity leaning on the stand, somehow staring down a demon twice her size. “I told you, Buddy, this is a priceless human artifact of power. It’s not gonna go for any less than 120 snails.” I look at what she’s holding and almost snort out a laugh as I see her holding a slinky in her hand. I don’t want to interrupt her flow, though. The demon's eyes linger for a moment on the slinky, and he fidgets for a moment before slamming a purse on the table. He grabs the slinky, shuffling it from hand to hand in awe. Amity smirks, picking up the pouch and turning to us.

Eda chuckles softly, a look of surprise on her face. “Well, color me impressed; the Blight baby’s a good saleswitch.”

Amity smirks, reaching into the bag and pulling out some snails, throwing the rest of the sack to Eda. Eda looks at her questioningly before Amity responds. “10% finder's fee, of course.” 

Eda cackles at that, slapping Amity on the shoulder. Amity nearly falls from the unexpected gesture, but I catch her before she can. She smiles up at me, cheeks slightly flushed. Eda speaks up from behind me. “Alright, lovebirds, get going. Don’t want your romance gunking up the atmosphere of my stand.” I give Eda one more hug before I put my hand back in Amity’s, and we walk off towards wherever we’re heading next.

***

Amity starts leading me to the edge of the market, the exit that leads back to the Owl House. I’m confused for a moment before she takes a turn, heading towards Hexside, and I smile as I realize where we’re going. We walk through the forest in silence, hands intertwined, once again just appreciating the moment together. It’s mid-afternoon, and the sound of various animals and demons moving around us blends with the sound of crashing waves ahead of us. The forest smells of plants, summer, and… I pause, taking a deeper breath. I smile, realizing I’m getting hints of Amity’s shampoo because of how close we’re walking. I look over at her, and she’s just… beautiful. The way the light’s filtering through the trees accentuates her features, the irregular twinkles in her eyes, the way the light turns the mint green of her hair into an almost emerald green with gorgeous chocolate roots. And for just a moment, my eyes flick down, lingering for a second on her lips. I gulp once, a blush coming onto my face as Amity notices me staring.

Amity smirks, voice soft. “See something you like?”

My blush deepens, but a smirk finds its way onto my face. I lean in closer, face inches from Amity, my proximity already causing a light blush to bloom on her cheeks. I whisper softly. “Only the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

Amity’s entire face breaks out into a blush, and she trips over a root in the road. I almost tumble as well but hold onto Amity’s hand, pulling her around in an arc, my other hand catching her around her waist. We end up almost in a position like our dip during the fight with Grom, Amity held beneath me, our faces inches apart. We are both frozen for several tense moments, the energy between us electric. After a few moments pass, I clear my throat, standing up and pulling Amity with me. Both of our faces are entirely red now, and I chuckle softly. “Almost tripped there.”

Amity coughed once. “Yea. Yea that could have been bad. Thanks for that.”

We continue walking forward, our blushes, and the atmosphere relaxing as we walk. By the time we get to the Grom tree, we’re both back to just our base level of a slight blush that we’ve been sporting all day. Amity walks up to the tree and quickly taps out the rhythm to summon the ladder, and we climb up into our clubhouse. _Our_ clubhouse. I smile at the thought, thinking back to how many times as a kid, I wanted to make a clubhouse with friends. Before this, the best I got was a blanket fort with my mami. Although, that was pretty great.

I take another look around the room while I wait for Amity, and I notice with a start all of our purchases from earlier in the day neatly stacked on our desks. I smile warmly. _So that’s where they went._ Once Amity climbs into the space, she turns to me, fidgeting nervously. I walk over, taking both of her hands in mine. I look into her eyes, smiling warmly. I give her hands a gentle squeeze, and she smiles back. She nods once. “Ok, Luz. Now it’s my turn.” I blink once, opening my mouth to say she doesn’t have to, but she cuts me off. “No, Luz. I’ve said things throughout the day, but this is important. I need you to know everything, I need you to know how incredible you are, I need you to see the you that I see.” I close my mouth and nod.

Amity takes a deep breath, looking me in the eyes. I can see unbridled adoration in her eyes, so much stronger than the emotion I had glimpsed a few times before. Because now she can show it, in full, and it’s an incredible feeling to be held under that gaze. “Luz Noceda. Human, Witch, Protege, Friend. You are the single most incredible person I have ever had the honor of meeting. You came into my life like a gorenado of kindness, and you made not just mine but everyone whose lives you touched better just by being you. You’re not just nice, you’re not just kind; if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were a literal spirit of goodness come to bless us all with your gifts. But you’re not, and that makes you even more amazing. Because you’re just like the rest of us, a person with struggles and trials and baggage. And despite all of that, you still do everything in your power to help others. Your constant optimism, your undying loyalty, your ability to make the most out of any situation. You are such an inspiration to me, Luz.”

Amity pauses for a moment, and I’m about to speak up when she continues. “But that’s not all it is, Luz. Because I remember what you said last night. I want you to know that while what you do for others is certainly incredible, it’s who you _are_ that I fell for. I don’t have a crush on you because of what you did, and none of your friends stick around because of what you do for them. That’s important. We, I, like you for who you are. Your kindness translates into actions, yes, but it’s the kindness that draws people to you. But you’re not only kind. You’re smart, incredibly so. You’re a human that a month ago never even knew this place existed, and now you’re mastering an ancient and almost unknown form of magic. You’re hardworking and determined. No matter what obstacle stands in your way, you’ll always succeed in any task you set your mind to. You’re funny, in one of the most unique ways I’ve ever known. You’re not just good at telling jokes, but you’re good at physical comedy, and I swear this is the only time I will say this, but I do love your puns.” I laugh softly at that, and she blushes at my smile. 

“You’re also so perceptive. You can tell just by looking at someone if they’re feeling down. And not only that, but you can see through any masks people put up.” The blush on Amity’s face deepens slightly. “If it hadn’t been for that, I don’t think I’d have ever been anything more than a bully.” She cuts off the words about to spill from my mouth with a glare. “I know you saw through that act, but as much as it was an act, it still did real harm. And if you hadn’t come along, I might well have continued that act until the day I died. My point still stands. You’re also so brave. You stand up to any injustice, no matter how strong the opponent. You stood up to Boscha, you stood up to Bump, you stood up to the Bat Queen! I wouldn’t be surprised if you stand up to the Emperor himself one day.” Her laughter chimes warmly in my ears as she softly rubs the back of my hand with her thumb.

“You’re also so accepting of so many people. You _always_ try to see the good in people, no matter how bad they might come off. And I imagine, I _know_ , that that’s hard when you feel like you’re an outsider. When no one sees the good in you, why bother returning the favor? But you do. You refuse to believe that anyone is evil; you look and dig and search for any piece of goodness within them. You made the infamous Owl Lady, fearsome outlaw, a big ol’ softy. Just by being you.”

Amity smiles warmly at me, and I can feel tears on my cheeks again. I’ve never had someone do this for me, lay out so plainly the things they appreciate about me, the things that I am, not that I do. “Basically, what I’m saying, Luz, is that you’re amazing. You’re someone that honestly inspires me to be better, do better, and feel better. And I honestly can’t believe that you agreed to go on this date with me, because you deserve so much better. You deserve the world, but I’ll give you what I can.” She pauses for just a moment, arms moving to wrap around my waist. “Also, you give really good hugs.”

I wrap Amity tightly in a hug, feeling the tears spill again from my eyes, tears of joy, of thanks. We stand together, Amity’s head buried in the crook of my neck, for some time. Eventually, I pull back, a smile splitting across my face. “Amity. Thank you. Genuinely. Not just for that, but for everything. For today, for yesterday, for the past month. You say I deserve better, but I don’t know that there is better.” For once, I get the pleasure of cutting her off, holding up my hand and smirking. “Ah, ah, ah. You’ve been doing things for me all day; let me do something for you.” Amity closes her mouth, a small smile finding its way to her lips. She nods at me.

I keep my arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close to me. “So many of the things you said about me I can say right back. So I will! I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone braver than you, Amity. Yes, I may have had… a lot of bullies in the human world. But they were all other kids. I never had to deal with your parents, your siblings, the expectations of one of the most powerful families on the Boiling Isles. You may have acted cold when we first met but under the circumstances? I don’t know that I would have been any better. But you never lost that spark of who you were as a child. That spark of goodness, of kindness. It may have dulled, but you kept it there, burning in anticipation of someone that could help you relight it. I may have brought you out of your shell, but I only brought out what was already there. You’ve always been a good person, Amity. You just needed a little push to remember.”

“You’re also so hardworking and smart. Sure, you may have been trying to impress your parents, but it can’t have been easy to get that top student badge. I’ve seen how hard you study, how much effort and time and care you put into every project. That kind of dedication isn’t easy to come by, and your ability to continue despite all the pressure consistently heaped on top of you is inspiring. I imagine you could do literally anything you put your mind to, Amity because no matter what, you’ll see it through.”

“And you are kind. Don’t think you’re not. You just set up an entire day where you gathered up people to compliment me because you care about me! You didn’t have to do this. This is our first date, you could have so easily kept me entirely to yourself today, but you didn’t. You saw that I was hurting, and you did so much to help me. And it’s not just me. You’re putting real effort and action into patching things up with Willow, you’re making new friends, you’re calling out Boscha for being a bully, you’re a good sister despite the twins less than stellar track record. You are kind, Amity because you care about others. Even if it’s hard to care sometimes, you do, despite it all, despite your parents and their expectations and their callous attitudes, you continue to care.”

I can see and feel the tears on Amity’s face as she buries her face into the front of my shirt, arms wrapped tightly around my waist. I lean down, speaking softer now, nestling against the top of her head. “But you know what my favorite thing about you is, Amity? Your ability to grow. Your ability to look at yourself, look at others, the situation you’re in, and become better. To be better, to learn about others, to put yourself on their level, to see them for who they are, and to help them. Because you do help people. You’ve helped me learn, you read to those kids, you helped fix Willow’s brain, heck, I think that’s the most I’ve _ever_ seen a product from Eda’s shop sell.” I chuckle softly at the small laugh I hear wheeze out of Amity. “You say I help people, but you can’t discount yourself either. You do so much for others, even when you have so little time. You’re a good person, Amity, to your very soul.” I hold her even closer to me, whispering. “And you wanna know a secret? You give really good hugs too.”

Amity laughs at that, looking up at me, eyes shining with thanks. “Titan, Luz, I was bringing you here to compliment you, not the other way around. See, this is why people like you.” She pokes me playfully in the chest. “You’re too good to people.”

I smirk softly, leaning down ever so slightly. “Oh? Would you prefer I be a bad girl?” I wink at Amity, causing her face to burst out into another blush. I laugh softly before noticing how close we are, once again. My eyes flick down once again to Amity’s lips, and when I look back up, I see her eyes on mine. For a few timeless moments, we just look at each other before I whisper, voice soft but electric with anticipation. “Amity? Can I kiss you?”

Amity’s eyes widen, but she nods ever so slightly. “Yes. Please.” She closes her eyes as I start to lean in, and I close mine. I can feel her breath on my lips as I close the distance, and then… I reel back with a hiss as our foreheads smack together.

I open my eyes to see Amity’s hand on her forehead, mirroring mine. We stare at each other for a moment before laughing out loud, both of us falling into a pile on the beanbags in the corner of the room. After we calm down, we look back into each other’s eyes. I speak first. “Ok. So maybe closing your eyes _before_ the kiss isn’t the best idea.”

Amity giggles at that, nodding. “Alright, how about we keep our eyes open this time.”

I nod, looking into her eyes. “Alright, let’s try this again.” Now reclining on our sides in the beanbag, I lean over towards Amity, keeping my eyes open. Now that they’re open, though, I’m nervous, eyes darting all around her face. _Should I be looking at her eyes? Her lips? Oh gosh, she’s doing the same thing; she doesn’t know where to look either..._ and mid-thought, we collide again, both going straight on, our noses hit each other, and we laugh again. Yes, we want to kiss each other, but it’s our first time, and we can enjoy the awkwardness.

I put my hands on her cheeks, looking at her with determination in my eyes. “Ok. Third time’s the charm, right?” She nods, the same determination mirrored in hers. I lean in, tilting my head and hers in opposite directions. Our noses pass each other, and I can feel her breath again on my lips. We look at one another, both hesitating before the final moment. And then it happens. Amity closes the distance, and we kiss, finally.

It’s not exactly what I expected. It’s not bad, mind you, it just seems a lot more… elegant? In all the fanfics I read. All this passion and energy and grace. But neither of us has ever kissed anyone before. And it took us three attempts to even get our lips to touch. It’s sloppy and a little weird, but it is one of the best things I’ve ever done. Amity’s lips are soft against mine, and now that we’re kissing, I can reach my hands up into the hair I’ve wanted to touch all day. She pulls me closer, and I’m about to pull away for breath when I hear and feel something at the same time. Coming from Amity is what sounds almost like… I pull back abruptly, hands flying to my mouth, a squeal of delight escaping me. I see Amity, face red and eyes wide with shock, horrified at the noise she has just produced. “You purred!” I laugh as she puts her face in her hands. I grab her cheeks, pulling her up to look at me again. “Amity, that was the most adorable thing I have ever heard in my entire life. Please tell me that’s not the only time I’ll get to hear it.”

Amity grumbles softly at me. “Well, maybe if you hadn’t stopped kissing me, it wouldn’t have stopped.”

I smirk softly, running a finger over one of her cheeks. “Is that a challenge?”

Amity smirks back, leaning closer to me. “And what if it is?”

I lean back in, finding her lips with ease this time. As we kiss, I hear the purr rising again in her chest, and I don’t let it end this time. 

We spend the rest of the day in the treehouse, although very little of anything gets done besides both of us developing chapped lips. We do talk some more about ourselves, our friends, Azura, anything that comes to mind. Conversation is easy with Amity, and it sure helps when most of the conversations last no longer than 5 minutes. Amity and I lay on the beanbags for hours, and reflecting on the day, on the people that I’ve found here on the Isles, on the amazing girl curled up in my arms, I can feel a seed of joy growing inside of me. I can feel the words of Amity and my friends swirling in my head, bolstering me up. I look down at Amity, a girl I would never in a million years have imagined would fall for me, _My Girlfriend,_ and I think for the first time in many, many years: _I am worth being loved._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s a wrap! At least, that’s a wrap on You Are Worth Being Loved. What could I possibly mean by that very suspicious phrasing? You’ll have to wait like, a couple sentences to find out!
> 
> Again, thank you all so so much for your continued support on this fic. Please feel free to leave any questions you might have about this story in the comments, ya’ll know I’ll respond to them all anyway :)
> 
> Now, for the future! This is not the end of this story, nor the end of my writing. I am, today, announcing TWO new fanfics soon to come to this account. I will be taking a week off before posting the first one, as I do need time to fully outline both of these stories before I can start writing. They are:
> 
> 1\. Love is not Earned: My first ever College AU! A story about friends, family, love, and learning. LinE is a Human College AU featuring Luz and Amity attending classes, handling insecurities, finding friends, and figuring out that family is more complicated than you thought. Featuring cover art by EvilSnotBag(Check her out @Evilsnotbag on Twitter, or check out her [Lunar Eclipse AU](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765585) here on AO3), this is sure to be a wonderful little exploration of how identity can be shaped by circumstance, and how a change in scenery might be what you need to find your true self. First chapter will be releasing 12/14/2020.  
> 2\. You Are Worth Being Respected: The sequel to YAWBL, this story will follow some of the threads I wove in this story but instead of being a Luz POV, we’re switching fully to an Amity POV. If YAWBL explored Luz’s insecurities about friendship, YAWBR will explore Amity’s insecurities about family. First chapter will be releasing 12/21/2020.
> 
> If either or both of these fics sounds interesting to you, subscribe to my profile here, or follow me on Twitter @Maxrimus to be notified of when chapters are released!
> 
> I can’t wait to share my new stories with you, I really have some cool ideas for both projects, and I’m so excited to get started. Once again again, thank you all so much for your support, the community here on AO3 is so supportive, and I love you all. And remember, every single one of you is Worth Being Loved. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
> 
> Edit: So as I'm sure some of you have noticed I've missed the above posting dates for my next two fics. This doesn't mean they're not happening! I've just been having some writer's block in the outlining phase. They're still coming, they're just going to be a little delayed. Thank you all for your patience :)


End file.
